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The goal is to “unlock new 5G/6G Terrestrial (TN) and Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) capabilities,” say the two parties, and Aalyria – a spin out from Google – is opening a UK office, in London, to support the project.
Basically, Spacetime enables hybrid connectivity among different assets operating across domains, whether on land, sea, air, and also into space – NTN connectivity features based on emerging 5G-Advanced and 6G standards.
Aalyria’s work with ESA will be focused on enabling interoperability within networks such as satellite comms, HAPS (high-altitude platform station), and other space-based assets.
They will work to identify, implement, and test enhancements to the O-RAN Alliance’s standardised Radio Access Network management interfaces (O1, A1, E2), they say. This will be to support future use cases, cases such as roaming between satellite and terrestrial assets, in-flight connectivity, connected vehicles and at-sea connectivity.
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is also playing a supporting role in the programme.
Space comms
“This achievement marks a significant milestone in Aalyria’s journey towards reshaping the future of space communications to create a new universal connectivity fabric,” said Aalyria CEO Chris Taylor.
“Our collaboration with the European Space Agency is a testament to our dedication to pushing the boundaries of what is possible with 5G NTN connectivity. We are also excited to introduce Aalyria UK, which will serve as a strategic hub for our operations in the United Kingdom, fostering new partnerships and driving innovation in the region.”
For its part, the ESA highlighted the role of collaboration for its connectivity strategies:
“Collaborations with industrial partners, like this one with Aalyria, play a pivotal role in ESA’s efforts to advance the digital transformation of industry and society, thanks to the integration of 5G/6G Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks,” said Antonio Franchi, Head of Space for 5G and 6G Strategic Programme at ESA.
“Establishing seamless ubiquitous and resilient connectivity is vital in the context of emerging technologies. The platform envisioned under this development contract could be a game-changing asset for telecommunications systems, with substantial benefits for stakeholders.”
Financial terms of the deal were not revealed.
Aalyria
Having come out of “stealth mode” last year, it has have since also signed contracts with Telesat, Intelsat, Rivada, and others for use of its technology.
Spacetime is described as a production-validated platform, having orchestrated HAPS networks on Google’s long-running (2013 – 2021) Project Loon in Kenya and Peru.
In the company’s own words, Spacetime is described as follows:
“Built on a digital twin of wireless transceivers and signal propagation at planet-scale, Spacetime has a full celestial frame of reference. It can understand the physics of the Earth and space, as well as motion propagation, weather phenomena and atmospheric characteristics: everything that affects a wireless signal. It also uses the position, orientation and projected motion of the physical platforms to forecast the quality and stability of upcoming connection opportunities, enabling it to proactively evolve the network topology and increase network resilience.”
London
As mentioned, Aalyria is also opening a UK office in London – its global 5G TN/NTN headquarters – to help work on the Harwell project. This is in addition to its Californian offices in Palo Alto and Livermore.
“Our collaboration with the European Space Agency is a testament to our dedication to pushing the boundaries of what is possible with 5G NTN connectivity,” added Taylor. “We are also excited to introduce Aalyria UK, which will serve as a strategic hub for our operations in the United Kingdom, fostering new partnerships and driving innovation in the region.”
See also: Inmarsat trials Orchestra maritime mesh for ship-to-ship connectivity
