LONDON - Filtronic plc (AIM:FTC), a company specializing in aerospace, defence, space, and telecoms infrastructure, has secured a contract to develop advanced feeder link technology for the European Space Agency (ESA) and Viasat’s Direct-to-Device (D2D) initiative. This collaboration aims to enhance space-based communications by delivering 5G non-terrestrial services directly to handheld devices.
Under the framework of ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES 4.0), Filtronic will collaborate with Viasat to establish the necessary feeder link requirements and create high-power RF solutions crucial for the proposed satellite network. Feeder links are essential for high-throughput satellite communications, facilitating both uplink and downlink transmissions.
Filtronic’s role includes the innovation of feeder link technology for satellite payloads and ground stations, leveraging their expertise in high-performance solid state power amplifiers to enable high data rate links. This initiative is a continuation of Filtronic’s work from a previous ESA ARTES-contract awarded in 2023, with the UK Space Agency also supporting Filtronic’s involvement in the D2D project.
Nat Edington, CEO of Filtronic, expressed pride in the company’s contribution to this pioneering project. Emphasizing the growing demand for seamless global connectivity, Edington highlighted the significance of Filtronic’s advanced mmWave solutions in establishing high-capacity, non-terrestrial networks.
The development of this technology is poised to shape the future of communications, offering the potential for direct-to-device 5G services from low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Filtronic’s partnership with Viasat and ESA is a strategic step towards achieving this objective.
The information provided in this article is based on a press release statement from Filtronic plc.
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