Sateliot, a satellite telecommunications operator in 5G IoT connectivity, will test a pioneering system that allows its satellites to connect with IoT devices without relying on satellite navigation systems (GNSS) such as the American GPS. This breakthrough opens new opportunities in sectors such as Defence and Security, where Europe’s technological autonomy and operation in “GNSS-denied” environments are priorities.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, such as the one developed by Sateliot, provide coverage in areas beyond the reach of terrestrial networks -over half of the planet’s surface. However, until now, they depended on GNSS, increasing both the energy consumption of devices and terminal costs.
The FreeGNSSNetwork project, signed with the European Space Agency (ESA) and led jointly with GMV, eliminates this dependency using advanced algorithms that enable devices to calculate their position directly from the satellites’ signals. This maintains a stable and accurate connection even under complex conditions such as wartime scenarios.
According to the company, this project represents a paradigm shift and lays the groundwork for developing 6G technology, in which Sateliot actively contributes within the 3GPP framework.
Connectivity and precision
FreeGNSSNetwork enables device positioning with an accuracy of approximately 10 meters and provides extremely precise time synchronisation services of 50 nanoseconds, the equivalent of 0.00000005 seconds.
The system is currently being tested in laboratories that replicate real satellite communication conditions and will be demonstrated in orbit with prototype satellites and terminals, sending Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) data directly to IoT devices.
According to Jaume Sanpera, the co-founder and CEO of Sateliot, “this project positions Spain as a benchmark in satellite innovation and connects the European industry to new IoT and 5G service markets. With this research, Europe gains coverage and connectivity where there was none before, and Spain demonstrates its ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions. It is a dual-use technology, for both civil and defence applications, that enables greater autonomy, resilience and energy efficiency.”
The agreement was signed as part of the events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ESA, during a meeting held at ESAC (Madrid), attended by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, Spain’s Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities Diana Morant, the Director of the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) Juan Carlos Cortés, and other institutional representatives.
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