Kratos Advances 5G NR NTN Ground System Development with Multi-Vendor Connectivity Success
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company specializing in defense, national security, and global markets, announced that it has successfully demonstrated end-to-end connectivity across a native, multi-vendor 5G NR NTN (New Radio Non-Terrestrial Network) using Kratos’ OpenSpace®, the industry’s first fully virtualized and software-defined satellite ground system platform. This demonstration showcased the benefits of virtualization in supporting the level of interoperability and scale necessary for satellite operators to provide seamless 5G services.
A virtualized ground system offers the most advantageous path forward for operators seeking flexibility and scalability. OpenSpace’s software-defined architecture allows satellite systems to behave more like terrestrial 5G infrastructure, enabling operators to dynamically scale services, reduce hardware dependencies and adopt multi‑vendor solutions that best support mission, performance and cost requirements. Multi-vendor support gives operators the ability to choose the best software for a service and the best cost-performance option for a given beam or region and more.
In this demonstration with Korea-based satellite operator KT SAT and other partners, Kratos proved connectivity across a native 5G NR Non-Terrestrial Network consisting of an OpenSpace RAN (Radio Access Network), Druid Software’s Raemis 5G Core and GCT Semiconductor Holding’s (NYSE: GCTS) GDM7275X-based 5G UE (User Equipment). This integrated system performed cell search and successfully registered with the Druid Raemis core to establish two-way communication and validate multi-vendor interoperability.
“KT SAT is committed to advancing 5G NTN solutions in the satellite industry,” said Sungho Choi, KT SAT CTO. “By bringing partners together and supporting this demonstration, we’re accelerating the ecosystem and proving that interoperable, multi‑vendor 5G systems are not just theoretical, they are happening now.”
“Our goal with OpenSpace has always been to give satellite operators the flexibility and interoperability that 5G promises,” said Jennifer Barber, Senior Director of Product Management 5G NTN Solutions at Kratos. “This collaboration is an important step toward open, multi‑vendor 5G NTN deployments. We’re pleased to work with KT SAT and our partners in driving 5G development forward in the industry.”