In orbit the nanosatellite for 5G in space, Tyvak heads the consortium

In-orbit operations focus on establishing K/Ka-band links, which, as the transmission frequency increases, amplifies the attenuation in the atmosphere and increases the accuracy and resolution of the possible range. Short transmission pulses of a few nanoseconds link traditional satellite communications with 5G, with the aim of realising widespread broadband connectivity and enhancing European 5G/6G capabilities.

During the operational phase, the satellite will make multiple accesses to two sites of interest, the first located in the province of Rieti, where the two ground terminals developed during the project will be installed, and the second located in Noordwijk, in southern Holland, at the 5G/6G Lab in ESTEC. During these communication windows, the satellite will orient the payload antennas to establish a high-speed two-way link in the K and Ka bands between the two terminals.

The LIDE mission, in particular, aims to demonstrate direct broadband access for small aperture terminals in rural and suburban areas by evaluating key parameters such as Signal - to - Noise Ratio, which compares the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and measures the strength of a desired signal with the noise floor to quantify the purity of a signal with respect to unwanted interference, and latency, the time it takes for a data packet to travel from one point to another, and vice versa.

The LIDE mission serves as a test bed using the 'Renegade' platform developed by Tyvak International in Italy to demonstrate that new technologies can be applied in orbit to support the development of services that require broadband connectivity in mobility, with small devices, and in areas with poor cellular signal or terrestrial network receptivity.

'The system we have built is geared towards providing high-speed, low-latency Internet connectivity in Italy and Europe, especially for strategic and tactical applications, to support remote and rural areas where Internet access is limited or non-existent, with an infrastructure that includes a constellation of dozens of small satellites in low earth orbit,' emphasises Fabio Nichele, CEO of Tyvak International.

The 5G-LIDE nano-satellite developed by Tyvak International is a compact but highly advanced satellite designed for optimal performance in telecommunications. Crucial to its capabilities is the active attitude determination and control system, which ensures precise satellite orientation for consistent signal quality. Overall, the satellite's integrated design, consisting of advanced transponder technology, high-performance antennas and optimised terrestrial communication hardware, ensures superior connectivity, reliability and coverage.

Tyvak has built and launched 16 satellites for commercial and institutional customers. The company has participated in missions such as PhiSat-1 of the European Space Agency (Esa), a pair of Earth observation satellites, up to Iperdrone, with the Italian Space Agency, to perform orbital manoeuvres around a target: an activity preparatory to so-called in-orbit servicing, the provision of services beyond the atmosphere, from refuelling to maintenance.