- Airbus UpNext has kicked off a SpaceRAN demonstrator to test standardized 5G Non‑Terrestrial Network (NTN) connectivity from orbit.
- The plan includes a ground testbed first, then an in‑orbit payload on an Airbus LEO satellite, with launch targeted for 2027 and testing in 2028.
- Aalyria is among the tech partners, bringing software to orchestrate and optimize 5G NTN performance in real time.
Airbus is launching a new push to make 5G work more like 5G—even when it’s coming from space. On January 14, 2026, Airbus UpNext announced “SpaceRAN,” a demonstrator aimed at standardized global 5G Non‑Terrestrial Network (NTN) connectivity. (Airbus)
This matters now because satellite connectivity is booming, but a lot of it still behaves like closed ecosystems. Airbus is leaning into the opposite: interoperability, standardization, and the idea that satellites should plug into broader space-and-ground networks without custom glue code everywhere.
The company is framing 5G NTN as a flexible connectivity layer for commercial, defense, and government use. If it works as promised, it could make “connectivity from orbit” feel less like a special service and more like a normal part of modern networks—just with a longer path through the sky.
SpaceRAN’s technical hook is that it’s built around a software-defined satellite—meaning the spacecraft can be reprogrammed from the ground after launch. Airbus also wants the satellite to process signals in space (not just relay them), a design choice meant to cut latency, increase throughput, and make routing and network management smarter.
Airbus’ roadmap is split into two big phases: a ground setup that simulates a two-satellite Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation and tests beam and satellite handovers, followed by an in-orbit payload that acts as a 5G base station in space. That flight phase is scheduled to launch in 2027, with in-orbit testing planned for 2028. (Via Satellite)
The partner list is a clue that this isn’t just a satellite exercise. Airbus has pulled together a consortium spanning telecom, satellite operators, test-and-measurement, and space hardware—names like Deutsche Telekom, Eutelsat, Keysight Technologies, Radisys, and others show up alongside specialist space networking players.
One of those partners is Aalyria, which says it will contribute “Spacetime,” its 5G NTN RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC)—basically software designed to dynamically control and optimize radio/network resources as conditions change. Aalyria CEO Chris Taylor called standardized 5G connectivity from space “a critical next step for scaling Non‑Terrestrial Networks globally.” (Business Wire)
On the policy and funding side, Airbus says SpaceRAN is being developed under Air!5G, supported by the French government through the France 2030 investment plan under a Future Networks strategy. Airbus expects first results by 2028 and positions the project as groundwork for 6G—and, eventually, lower orbital data transmission costs.
Airbus is also explicitly arguing for an open, non-proprietary approach, positioning SpaceRAN as a competitive alternative to proprietary satellite connectivity stacks. The company and its partners are building on earlier work too, including a prior 5G NTN demonstration on OneWeb satellites, as described by Via Satellite.
The clearest near-term upside is in aviation and public-sector communications, where Airbus believes standardized NTN could boost operational efficiency, simplify interoperability, and improve passenger experiences, while also supporting more resilient and secure communications for government and military users.
Still, it’s a demonstrator, not a commercial service—and plenty can go sideways. The in-orbit timeline (2027 launch, 2028 testing) could slip, technical performance claims won’t be proven until hardware is actually flying, and “standardized” only matters if mobile operators, vendors, and regulators align on real deployments rather than parallel, incompatible versions.
What to watch next is whether the ground testbed results show clean handovers and stable routing under LEO-like conditions—and whether the 2027 in-orbit payload can deliver on the harder promise: a true 5G base-station-style experience from space that plays nicely with the rest of the network.
