a leading Birmingham-based antenna technology firm, today announced its participation in a groundbreaking European Space Agency (ESA) project aimed at developing an advanced satellite navigation system. This innovative system will operate independently of traditional GPS signals, offering enhanced security and reliability for critical sectors.
The project, spearheaded by Telespazio UK, forms the SATSOOP consortium, which also includes Eutelsat OneWeb and Cranfield University. The consortium’s core objective is to create a new positioning system leveraging Signals of Opportunity (SOOP) from low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This approach promises to deliver robust and resilient navigation capabilities for applications in transport, emergency services, and smart cities.
Novocomms will play a pivotal role in this initiative, designing a compact, high-performance antenna array for the system’s demonstrator. This critical component will operate using Ku/Ka band frequencies and be integrated into a small user terminal.
Dr. Sampson Hu, Founder and Group CEO of Novocomms, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for the collaboration: “We are very pleased to be part of this groundbreaking initiative, which will help maintain Europe’s leadership position in satellite communications. Our team, which includes shareholders and technical experts with more than 40 years of antenna-related experience, particularly in millimetre-wave and advanced beamforming technologies, is uniquely positioned to contribute significantly to this innovative effort. We look forward to collaborating closely with our partners to develop technologies that will drive forward critical capabilities in satellite communications and deliver tangible benefits for a wide range of future applications.”
Dr. Hu also highlighted Novocomms’ relevant expertise, stating, “Our recent work on mmWave CPE funded by an Innovate UK SBRI contract and on a LEO-PNT ground terminal antenna demonstrator for the UK Space Agency means we have the right set of skills and experience to contribute to this type of challenge.”
This collaboration underscores Novocomms’ commitment to advancing satellite communication technologies and contributing to the development of next-generation navigation solutions crucial for global infrastructure.
