The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and Sharp built satellite communications equipment for 5G NTN demonstrations at the Kashima Space Technology Center in Ibaraki Prefecture and are targeting the start of operations by the end of 2026. This marks the initial step toward developing a domestic communications environment linking satellites and the ground.
NICT and Sharp have built satellite communications equipment at the Kashima Space Technology Center capable of validating 5G NTN technology and conducting communications testing. The equipment includes gateway antennas connecting terrestrial networks with satellites, and the companies are advancing the development of a domestic demonstration environment. Operations are targeted to begin in 2026, and testing for applications in the mobility sector is also planned.
If standardization advances in the future, devices may adopt common specifications, increasing the possibility of using multiple satellite communications services with a single device. NICT and Sharp are also working on developing and reducing the size and weight of satellite communications user terminals.
The equipment is positioned as Japan's first 5G NTN technology validation and testing environment. The companies plan to conduct quality and stability testing of mobile communications, assuming installation in vehicles and drones, as well as validation of handover technology.
NICT and Sharp will jointly develop the demonstration environment and satellite communications user terminals, and procure and install gateway antennas. The Kashima Space Technology Center has long been used as a research and development base for space communications.