nxgsat and Universidad de Málaga complete over-the-air 5G NTN test over GEO satellite

9 June 2026

nxgsat and the Universidad de Málaga (UMA) have successfully completed over-the-air testing of nxgsat’s 5G NR Software Defined Radio User Equipment (SDR UE) over a live transparent GEO satellite payload. The test marks a significant commercial milestone: the first end-to-end validation of a productised, standards-compliant 5G NTN modem over a real satellite environment.

The test was conducted in collaboration with the Mobile Networks and Software Reliability (MORSE) research group at ITIS Software, Universidad de Málaga. Delia Rico, Assistant Professor at the Universidad de Málaga, led the collaboration on behalf of MORSE and provided gateway infrastructure in Málaga, Spain. Together, the teams validated a full end-to-end 5G NTN link through a live satellite environment, demonstrating that 3GPP-standard NTN connectivity can be delivered today over existing satellite assets.

Testing was carried out over the Hispasat 30W-6C satellite using a transparent Ku-band payload. The campaign validated nxgsat’s 5G NR SDR UE under real-world satellite channel conditions, confirming its ability to connect, authenticate, and carry live traffic in a 3GPP NTN architecture.

Key results demonstrated:

Full end-to-end connectivity between UE and gNB over a live GEO satellite link

Successful bring-up of the nxgsat 5G NR SDR UE — from initial logon through to end-to-end traffic — in a 3GPP NTN Release 18-compliant setup, including SIB19 handling and characterisation of satellite channel impact on the operational link

A suite of functional and performance tests including HD video, voice calls, and high-throughput uplink and downlink data transfer

“This is an important milestone for nxgsat and for the broader deployment of 5G NTN over GEO infrastructure. The test confirms that our productised 5G NTN software-defined UE modem performs reliably over a transparent satellite payload and delivers end-to-end traffic. That is a major validation of the service readiness of our 5G NR NTN technology.” José Laffitte, COO, nxgsat

“Collaborating with nxgsat on this campaign allowed our team to apply MORSE’s research expertise to a real-world 5G NTN deployment scenario. The results reinforce the viability of standards-based 5G connectivity over existing satellite assets — and demonstrate exactly the kind of academic-industry collaboration that the EU-funded 6G-SANDBOX project was built to accelerate. Validating 5G NTN over a live GEO satellite is a direct demonstration of what our experimental infrastructure at UMA makes possible.” Pedro Merino Professor and Director of ITIS Software, Universidad de Málaga — Technical Director, 6G-SANDBOX

The results have implications beyond the lab. For satellite operators, the test confirms that 5G NTN services can be delivered over existing Ku-band transparent payloads — without requiring new space infrastructure. For telcos and mobile network operators, it validates a standards-based path to extending 5G coverage globally via satellite. For government and defence customers, it demonstrates resilient, interoperable connectivity that works across orbits and network types.