{"id":59337,"date":"2020-04-01T12:06:54","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T10:06:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/romars.tech\/?post_type=dt_portfolio&#038;p=59337"},"modified":"2025-06-12T16:59:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T14:59:35","slug":"nb-iot4space","status":"publish","type":"dt_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/romars.tech\/en\/project\/nb-iot4space\/","title":{"rendered":"NB-IoT4Space"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-60042 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/unnamed-300x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/unnamed-300x300-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/unnamed-300x300-1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #890521;\"><strong>Objectives:<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Preliminary analysis have shown that the NB-IoT standard can be used by satellite systems in non-geostationary orbits under certain constraints. However, to enable the integration of user sensors employing this technology, it is necessary to develop an on-board evolved node B (eNB) capable of using a standard not originally conceived for satellite communications with adaptation and additional features dictated by the scenarios.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, the eNB is preferably compatible with small satellites platforms in terms of mass, power and volume since these platforms are usually the ones selected to provide M2M\/IoT services. Finally, it is also important to develop and propose UU (radio interface between UE and eNB) adaptations that would allow maximizing the efficiency of a satellite system.<\/p>\n<p>The goal of the project is the development of a demonstrator in which communication between an NB-IoT User Equipment (UE) and an eNB adapted for satellite communications is functionally verified.<\/p>\n<p>The state-of-the-art technology for NB-IoT is critically revised, referring to integration with satellite systems and associated technical requirements expected by the demonstrator.<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #890521;\"><strong>Challenges<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The project aims at developing a demonstrator where the communication between a NB-IoT UE and the adapted eNB is functionally verified. The main challenges are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Identification of the scenarios suitable for NB-IoT via NTN and what are their impacts in terms of key architectural strategies;<\/li>\n<li>Identification of adaptations needed to enable the operation of satellite links for NB-IoT for both Access Stratum (AS) and Non-Access Stratum (NAS);<\/li>\n<li>Development of a satellite RAN, including a User Equipment (UE), an RF and baseband processing unit and an eNB;<\/li>\n<li>Functional and performance verification of the NB-IoT protocol over satellite.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #890521;\"><strong>Benefits<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Development and validation of the adaptations to the UU\u2019s protocol stack (e.g., PHY, MAC, RLC, PDPC, and RRC layers) to make the NB-IoT radio standard viable over satellite.<\/p>\n<p>Development of an on board eNB capable of supporting the adapted 3GPP NB-IoT standard within the mass, power and volume constraints of a small platform (&lt;12U). The demonstrator is capable of emulating different scenarios as well as the main limiting factors in the telecommunications channel, with reference to Doppler shift\/rate, mobility, possible shadowing\/multipath, in order to assess performance under realistic conditions.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #890521;\"><strong>Features<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The project features include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Exploitation of experiences and knowledge from the other ESA project \u201c5G4Space\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/artes.esa.int\/projects\/5g4space\">https:\/\/artes.esa.int\/projects\/5g4space<\/a>);<\/li>\n<li>Monitoring of the latest 3GPP specifications, the latest 3GPP Technical Reports, and Technical documents, considering not only adaptation at PHY\/MAC level, but also at RRC layer and NAS layer for control plane if required;<\/li>\n<li>Identification of the widest set of possible scenarios;<\/li>\n<li>Identification of the UU Interface technical requirements and adaptation based on scenario selection;<\/li>\n<li>Implementation of the required adaptation by system level simulation and experimental test;<\/li>\n<li>Testbed requirements, design and development, more specifically for the adapted NB-IoT and on-Board eNB;<\/li>\n<li>Test plan and execution to verify the efficacy of the proposed adaptation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #890521;\"><strong>System Architecture<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>An high level and preliminary architecture is shown in the following picture:<\/p>\n<p>The main sub-systems are:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li><strong>NB-IoT Traffic Emulator:<\/strong> to emulate the traffic generated by several UEs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>NB-IoT Adapted UE:<\/strong> a NB-IoT module with UU interface adaptations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Channel Emulator:<\/strong> to emulate all the impairments caused by LEO satellites. In particular, is able to introduce variable delay, variable Doppler Shift, Phase Noise, Fading.<\/li>\n<li><strong>OnBoard eNB Prototype:<\/strong> an eNB module with the UU interface adaptations.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p align=\"left\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-59340\" src=\"https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1185\" height=\"638\" srcset=\"https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_2.png 1185w, https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_2-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_2-1024x551.png 1024w, https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_2-768x413.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1185px) 100vw, 1185px\" \/><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #890521;\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The main planning of the general tasks is reported below:<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><b><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-59338\" src=\"https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_3_0.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1844\" height=\"996\" srcset=\"https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_3_0.png 1844w, https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_3_0-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_3_0-1024x553.png 1024w, https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_3_0-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/romars.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/NB-ioT4Space_3_0-1536x830.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Most relevant milestones:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>MS1:<\/strong> Preliminary Operation Scenario Requirements and acceptance of all related deliverables. Foreseen by July 2020.<\/li>\n<li><strong>MS2:<\/strong> Technical Requirements (traffic emulator, NB-IoT UE, Channel Emulator, On-board eNodeB Prototype) and acceptance of all related deliverables. Foreseen by December 2020.<\/li>\n<li><strong>MS3:<\/strong> Testbed Implementation and acceptance of all related deliverables. Foreseen by July 2021.<\/li>\n<li><strong>MS4:<\/strong> Results, Roadmap and acceptance of all related deliverables. Foreseen by October 2021.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #890521;\"><strong>Current status<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Status completed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Official link to the project:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/connectivity.esa.int\/projects\/nbiot4space\">https:\/\/connectivity.esa.int\/projects\/nbiot4space<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Objectives: Preliminary analysis have shown that the NB-IoT standard can be used by satellite systems in non-geostationary orbits under certain constraints. However, to enable the integration of user sensors employing this technology, it is necessary to develop an on-board evolved node B (eNB) capable of using a standard not originally conceived for satellite communications with&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":59365,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","dt_portfolio_category":[223,344,266,225,224,227],"dt_portfolio_tags":[259,249,257],"class_list":["post-59337","dt_portfolio","type-dt_portfolio","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","dt_portfolio_category-5g-en","dt_portfolio_category-completed","dt_portfolio_category-featured-articles","dt_portfolio_category-iot-en","dt_portfolio_category-satellite","dt_portfolio_category-telecomunicazioni-en","dt_portfolio_tags-narrowband","dt_portfolio_tags-satellite","dt_portfolio_tags-tlc","dt_portfolio_category-223","dt_portfolio_category-344","dt_portfolio_category-266","dt_portfolio_category-225","dt_portfolio_category-224","dt_portfolio_category-227","description-off"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>NB-IoT4Space - RomARS S.r.l.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/romars.tech\/en\/project\/nb-iot4space\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NB-IoT4Space - RomARS S.r.l.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Objectives: Preliminary analysis have shown that the NB-IoT standard can be used by satellite systems in non-geostationary orbits under certain constraints. 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