On October 8, 2026, defense technology contractor Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced the successful demonstration of end-to-end connectivity across a native, multi-vendor 5G New Radio Non-Terrestrial Network (5G NR NTN).
Conducted using Kratos’ OpenSpace platform, the flight and ground demonstration established multi-vendor interoperability across virtualized satellite ground software, third-party 5G core platforms, and commercial user equipment without requiring single-vendor hardware locks.
Technical Architecture and Multi-Vendor Integration
The demonstration validated two-way 5G NR NTN data transmission across a fully virtualized, software-defined ground architecture. Kratos integrated three primary system components to establish the multi-vendor network:
- OpenSpace Radio Access Network (RAN): Kratos’ fully virtualized, software-defined RAN platform provided the satellite base station functionality, managing radio frequency signal processing and dynamic beam resource allocation.
- 5G Core Network: Druid Software supplied its Raemis 5G Core platform to handle subscriber session management, authentication, and core network traffic routing.
- User Equipment (UE): GCT Semiconductor provided its GDM7275X 5G modem chipset to function as the remote satellite-connected terminal, establishing bidirectionally synchronized links.
The demonstration also incorporated collaborative technical support from South Korean satellite communications provider KT SAT. By virtualizing signal processing into software applications running on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) server hardware, the OpenSpace platform processes digitised radio frequency signals using Digital Intermediate Frequency (DIF) standards, eliminating proprietary hardware modems at teleport locations.
Context and Ground System Virtualization Lineage
The multi-vendor milestone builds upon Kratos’ development of software-defined ground systems to support the integration of non-terrestrial networks with terrestrial 3GPP standards. The company previously partnered with telecommunications vendor Radisys to engineer cloud-native 5G-NTN satellite base station solutions, establishing virtualized ground infrastructure capable of dynamically scaling network capacity across multi-orbit satellite constellations.
Traditional satellite ground networks have historically relied on proprietary, hardware-centric modems and vendor-locked baseband architectures, creating operational silos that restricted cross-network roaming and interoperability. Virtualizing the ground segment into software running in cloud environments allows satellite operators to adopt open 3GPP standards, matching the operational flexibility of terrestrial mobile network operators.
Strategic Rationale and Operational Impact
The successful validation of multi-vendor 5G NR NTN connectivity allows satellite constellation operators and telecommunications service providers to select specialized hardware and software components from different equipment vendors. Rather than committing to a single prime vendor for end-to-end network deployments, operators can tailor ground station equipment, core software, and user terminals based on regional coverage needs, capacity requirements, and local operating costs.
Furthermore, software-defined ground architectures simplify network upgrades. Operators can deploy new 3GPP feature releases, security patches, and waveform modifications through remote software updates across teleport locations, avoiding physical hardware replacement cycles.
Industry Outlook and 3GPP Standardization
As the satellite industry aligns with 3GPP Release 17 and Release 18 Non-Terrestrial Network standards, multi-vendor interoperability is becoming a requirement for enterprise and defense satellite communications. Virtualized ground systems like OpenSpace enable satellite networks to integrate directly into 5G core networks operated by terrestrial telecommunications providers, supporting handoffs between terrestrial cellular towers and orbital constellations for mobile devices, IoT platforms, and defense systems.
