ESA's „laboratory on wheels“ tests 5G via satellites and paves the way for more reliable connectivity beyond the reach of traditional networks
A dark blue van parked in front of a massive, 25-metre-wide antenna appears to be just another official vehicle at a large research complex. But behind closed doors lies one of Europe's most mobile and most ambitious telecommunications projects: the European Space Agency's (ESA) mobile laboratory designed to test advanced „non-terrestrial networks“ (Non-Terrestrial Networks, NTN) – systems in which wireless connectivity does not rely only on ground base stations, but also on satellites and platforms in the air.
It is one of two ESA mobile laboratory units that belong to the Advanced NTN Telecommunication Laboratory. Their task is practical: outside the classic laboratory environment, verify how 5G and future 6G technologies behave when a signal has to „jump“ from terrestrial infrastructure to a satellite in low Earth orbit and back, in conditions closer to real user scenarios.
What NTN networks are and why they matter
NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks) describes a broad group of communication systems in which part of the network is not on the ground. Most often these are satellites in different orbits – from geostationary to satellite constellations in low orbit (LEO) – but also aircraft, balloons, or other platforms that fly at lower altitudes. The key idea is extending coverage and resilience: connectivity where it is difficult or too expensive to build terrestrial infrastructure, and faster recovery of communications in crisis situations.
In practice, integrating 5G and satellites today is one of the fastest-growing topics in the telecom industry. For operators and governments, this promises better coverage of rural areas, more secure links for public services, support for transport and logistics, and communications that keep working even when part of the terrestrial network fails. For the scientific and technological community, it is a proving ground where new radio bands, advanced antennas, and procedures such as „handover“ – transferring an active connection from one network element to another – are tested.
A laboratory in a van: a roof antenna and equipment like in large test centres
To establish and measure links to satellites, ESA's mobile laboratory carries on its roof a specialized antenna developed for the agency's needs in cooperation with the Swedish company Kebni and Italy's A.D.S. International. Inside, there is radio-frequency equipment as expected in a professional laboratory: spectrum analyzers, software-defined radios (SDR), and customized software for controlling and processing measurements.
What makes such a system operational in field conditions is its autonomy. The equipment is powered by batteries and inverters, while generators located in the trunk enable multi-day operation without a постоян connection to the grid. According to ESA engineers, the configuration can also be adapted for partners: third-party equipment can be placed in the van, electrical power provided, and access to the internet or required radio frequencies ensured – depending on the specific campaign.
A turning point: the first 5G „handover“ to a LEO satellite constellation
The mobile laboratory is not intended as a display exhibit. Although it has its place within the ESTEC campus, ESA's technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, its purpose is field work and testing in real-world conditions. In that context, ESA and a partner consortium recently announced a result considered a key step toward truly integrated 5G-satellite networks: a 5G New Radio transmission („handover“) of the signal to a satellite constellation in low Earth orbit was performed.
According to available official information, the test was carried out in ESA's 5G/6G Telecom Lab at ESTEC and involved cooperation between industrial and research partners from the satellite and chip sectors. Technically, such a „handover“ is crucial because it shows that the user connection can be maintained even when the network must switch to another satellite within the constellation, which is a typical challenge in the LEO environment due to the high speeds of satellites relative to the user on the ground.
Why the Q-band matters and how the field test in the United Kingdom served as a testbed
The photo of the mobile laboratory was taken during a Q-band field campaign at the Chilbolton Observatory research site in the United Kingdom, where RAL Space operates infrastructure that includes a large 25-metre antenna. In that campaign, according to published data from RAL Space and ESA communication services, a Q-band link to a satellite in low orbit was demonstrated.
The Q-band (in the context of satellite links often around 38–39 GHz) is interesting because higher frequency ranges enable higher data rates and wider channels, but also come with more serious engineering challenges, especially due to signal attenuation in the atmosphere and sensitivity to weather conditions. That is precisely why field measurements and campaigns are essential: laboratory models can predict system behaviour, but only field tests in different conditions show the actual capacity, how stable the link is, and how the system behaves in „edge“ scenarios.
The programme behind it all: Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity
Such tests are not an isolated project, but part of a broader ESA strategy. The agency supports innovation in satellite communications through the Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme, which sits within ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems). The goal is twofold: to encourage European industry and research organizations to develop connectivity technologies for the next decade, and to accelerate standardization and interoperability between terrestrial and space networks.
In parallel, through initiatives such as the NTN Forum, ESA seeks to bring together equipment manufacturers, operators, researchers, and regulators around shared challenges – from technical interfaces and certification to spectrum and security issues. In practice, this means that results from test campaigns are translated as quickly as possible into industrial guidelines and standards, to reduce risk and speed up the path from demonstration to commercial services.
What mobile laboratories mean for industry and public policy
Unlike traditional test centres tied to a single location, a mobile laboratory enables faster response and better campaign planning: the equipment goes to the location that matters for a particular frequency band, a particular orbit, or a specific satellite. This is especially important in a European context, where research infrastructure is located across multiple countries and test campaigns often depend on antenna availability, permits, and timing windows for satellite passes.
More broadly, the development of NTN technologies is also becoming a matter of public policy. European institutions and industry aim to reduce technological dependence, develop their own competencies in satellite constellations, chips, and radio equipment, and ensure that European standards and security requirements are built into future networks. At the same time, interest is growing in scenarios such as:
- communications for emergency services and crisis management, when terrestrial infrastructure is damaged or unavailable
- connecting ships, aircraft, and remote industrial facilities, where demand for data traffic is growing
- environmental monitoring and scientific missions that require reliable telemetry and transmission of large volumes of data
- supporting the digitalization of rural and sparsely populated areas, where classic network investment models are often economically difficult
Next stop: EuCNC & 6G Summit in Málaga in early June 2026
According to organizers' announcements, the mobile laboratory is expected to make a new field trip to Spain, to the European Conference on Networks and Communications (EuCNC) & 6G Summit, held in Málaga from 2 to 5 June 2026. The event brings together researchers, industry, and decision-makers around topics such as the evolution of 5G, the Internet of Things, spectrum policies, and early definitions of 6G systems.
For ESA and its partners, such events are not only a place to present, but also an opportunity to align directions: from which procedures will be tested in the next campaigns to how to incorporate results into standards and certification processes. In the NTN area, where telecom, the space industry, and the regulatory framework overlap, the speed of knowledge transfer from the laboratory to the ecosystem is often just as important as the technological breakthrough itself.
Ultimately, the laboratory on wheels symbolizes a trend that is increasingly hard to ignore: future networks will not be only „on Earth“. They will extend through multiple layers – from urban base stations to satellites – and reliability, service continuity, and security are becoming the main measures of success. ESA's van, with an antenna on the roof and a laboratory inside, today serves as a tool that translates those goals from paper and standards into measurable results in the field.
Sources:- ESA ARTES – official announcement on the first 5G New Radio „handover“ to a LEO constellation ( link )- ESA Connectivity & Secure Communications – overview of the Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme and Q-band context ( link )- RAL Space (UKRI/STFC) – report on the Q-band link to a satellite in LEO and the role of Chilbolton Observatory ( link )- UKRI/STFC – official description of Chilbolton Observatory and the use of the 25-metre antenna for space surveillance and testing ( link )- EuCNC & 6G Summit – official conference website with dates (2–5 June 2026, Málaga) ( link )- Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (European Commission) – announcement of the EuCNC & 6G Summit 2026 event ( link )- Kebni – announcement about a project with ESA in the area of LEO satellite terminals/antennas ( link )- A.D.S. International – overview of the portfolio of antenna systems and satcom solutions ( link )- ESA – information about the NTN Forum as part of initiatives for Space for 5G/6G ( link )
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