AccelerComm is participating in Airbus UpNext’s SpaceRAN demonstrator, supporting efforts to extend standardized 5G connectivity into space and enable globally interoperable non-terrestrial networks.
The SpaceRAN initiative is being developed by Airbus UpNext to explore advanced 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) capabilities and demonstrate how 5G technology can be processed directly on board satellites rather than simply relayed to the ground. The project aims to support future commercial, defence and government connectivity requirements through globally available, standards-based services.
As part of an Airbus-led industry consortium, AccelerComm is providing a critical 5G physical layer solution that enables real-time signal processing on software-defined satellite platforms. The company’s technology is designed to operate within the size, weight and power constraints of space systems while maintaining high throughput, low latency and full compliance with 3GPP 5G standards.
Unlike traditional bent-pipe satellite architectures, SpaceRAN is intended to host core elements of a 5G base station in orbit, enabling more efficient routing, improved network management and new forms of direct device connectivity. AccelerComm’s space-qualified physical layer plays a central role in enabling this architecture, supporting both ground-based testing and planned in-orbit validation of 5G NTN functionality.
AccelerComm said its patented hardware acceleration technology can increase satellite throughput by up to ten times compared with software-only implementations, improving constellation efficiency and strengthening the business case for scalable satellite 5G networks.
David Helfgott, CEO of AccelerComm, said the collaboration represents a significant step toward interoperable, non-proprietary satellite networks that integrate seamlessly with terrestrial infrastructure. He said delivering 5G processing in orbit is a key enabler for standardized global connectivity and the evolution of future non-terrestrial network architectures.
The SpaceRAN demonstrator is being developed as part of the Air!5G project, supported by the French government under the France 2030 investment plan. Airbus UpNext said the program is expected to contribute to the evolution of 5G NTN standards and inform future 6G development, while laying the groundwork for more cost-effective orbital data transmission.
