Omnispace has selected Thales Alenia Space to develop the initial component of the company's satellite-based Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure — this will advance Omnispace’s vision to deliver a global hybrid communications network based on 3GPP standards.

Thales Alenia Space will design and build an initial set of two satellites for operation in non-geostationary orbit (NGSO).

These initial satellites will support 3GPP-defined (the 3rd Generation Partnership Project telecommunications specifications that unite standard development organizations) Narrow-Band IoT radio interface and will serve to advance the development and implementation of Omnispace’s global hybrid network.

This announcement marks a key milestone as Omnispace initiates the development of its new generation NGSO satellite constellation that will operate in the S-band.

Artistic rendition of Omnispace's satellites.

The development of this initial set of satellites will begin immediately and they are scheduled for launch in 2021. Omnispace and Thales Alenia Space, along-side other industry stakeholders, will contribute to the development of the 3GPP NTN friendly standard for global implementation.

Ram Viswanathan, President and CEO of Omnispace LLC, stated that Thales Alenia Space has a successful track record of developing NGSO satellite constellations and is well-qualified to support the company's vision of delivering the world’s first global 5G non terrestrial network (NTN). This investment in the firm's next-generation satellite infrastructure allows Omnispace to progress the development of the firm's technology and demonstrate the company's unique capabilities as the firm continues to work towards launching the company's broader vision of a global hybrid network.

Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space, added that the company is pleased to be working with Omnispace, which is taking a holistic approach to the design, development and deployment of their next-generation, IoT-based satellite network infrastructure. Omnispace’s selection of Thales Alenia Space reinforces the firm's leadership position as a major industrial partner and the company's expertise in space-based IoT communications and Thales Alenia Space looks forward to collaborating with Omnispace in delivering this innovative project.