ESA Connectivity and Secure Communications

• ESA and Viasat to explore advanced satellite direct-to-device connectivity

  Today in Brussels, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Viasat signed an agreement to explore a partnership concerning a direct-to-device (D2D) satellite system, aiming to provide mobile broadband connectivity anytime, anywhere.

• ESA and Hisdesat set to launch next-generation secure communications satellite

  Hisdesat, Spain's premier provider of secure satellite communications, is set to launch its SpainSat Next Generation I (SNG I) satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on 29 January from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 20:34 EST (30 January at 02:34 CET). The European Space Agency (ESA)-supported satellite will provide more cost-effective, adaptable and secure communication services for governments and emergency response teams across Europe, North and South America, Africa, the Middle East and up to Singapore in Asia.

• ESA’s Civil Security from Space
  Video: 00:04:46

  ESA’s Civil Security from Space programme aims to save lives and livelihoods by reinforcing terrestrial systems that can become compromised by natural disasters or malicious actions.

  It aims to deliver a faster response than is presently possible by ensuring that real-time data is available anywhere through state-of-the-art space-enabled systems, making use of secure networks and reliable cloud computing to ensure the information is resilient and reliable. The programme also aims to enable governments and emergency services to act on an unfolding situation by using smart data gathering and intelligent processing to create a holistic awareness of the situation.

• Estonia to host Europe's new space cybersecurity testing ground

  The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Estonian Space Office have set out to develop Europe's newest space cyber range that aims to make space technology more secure and accessible for companies across Europe. Last year, Estonian industry was invited to submit proposals for concepts, and today the contract has been signed with a consortium led by Spaceit to begin development.

• World-first direct 5G connection to low Earth orbit satellite opens new era for mobile coverage

  In a world first, ESA and Telesat have successfully connected a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite to the ground using 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) technology in the Ka-band frequency range, marking a crucial step towards making space-based connections as simple as using a mobile phone.