Ibadan, 5 July 2023. – OQ Technology has won an ESA € 1.1 Million contract to design, build, integrate, test and demonstrate three advanced nanosatellites. The satellites will feature multiple payloads providing space-based 5G narrowband internet-of-things communications services and optical communications link. Furthermore, they will include hyperspectral Earth observation data to support precision agriculture as part of the ERMIS mission.
ERMIS (Hellenic Cubesat Demonstration Mission) is a pathfinder demonstration of key space connectivity capabilities linked to Greece’s 200M€ national small satellite project using a constellation of small satellites. ERMIS-1 and ERMIS-2 Cubesats will host the payloads of OQ Technology Luxembourg to demonstrate 5G internet-of-things non-terrestrial network (5G-IoT-NTN) connectivity and additionally incorporate Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) to enhance its coverage.
The importance of 5G technology in satellite IoT (Internet of Things) lies in its ability to provide high-speed, reliable, and low-latency connectivity to a wide range of devices, including those in remote and difficult-to-reach locations. In satellite IoT, 5G technology enables the integration of satellite networks with terrestrial networks, creating a seamless and unified network that can support a wide range of applications, including smart agriculture, pipeline monitoring, transportation tracking, and much more.
ESA leads this initiative, on behalf of the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance, to expand the nascent space industry in Greece. Consequently, it will enable the digital transformation of society while creating jobs and generating prosperity as part of the nation’s EU-funded Recovery and Resilience Facility.
Speaking on the partnership, Mr Omar Qaise, Founder & CEO of OQ Technology Group, commented, “OQ Technology group companies are collaborating together on a European but also global level to leverage the capabilities and opportunities in these markets but also build new partnerships and skills.”
