Keysight, Sateliot Win European Space Agency and GSMA Foundry Challenge for 6G Innovation

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Keysight Technologies, Inc., together with Sateliot, has been named a winner of the fifth annual European Space Agency (ESA) and GSMA Foundry Innovation Challenge for its joint project, “Blockchain-enabled anomaly detection end‑to‑end solution for 5G Non‑Terrestrial Networks.” The award, presented at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, recognizes early-stage innovation that supports 6G development and non-terrestrial network (NTN) integration.

The funding opportunity, provided by ESA Member States, was made possible through ESA’s Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity line, within the program of Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES).

The challenge was introduced last year and focuses on fostering 6G innovation, with a particular emphasis on satellite-terrestrial convergence in line with the latest recommendations from the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The program’s objective is to advance innovation and validate technical solutions that integrate satellite systems with terrestrial networks to enable ubiquitous connectivity and high-performance communications.

The Keysight and Sateliot proposal integrates blockchain, artificial intelligence, and machine learning with digital calibration certificates to enable traceable calibration from satellite manufacturing through to network operation. By enabling greater satellite autonomy, the joint solution is designed to optimize network reliability, maximize uptime, and enable rapid detection and response to performance issues.

By ensuring device trust, network integrity, and real‑time anomaly detection across hybrid space-terrestrial segments, the joint project is designed to help operators and enterprises prepare for commercial NTN deployments. The project also aligns with ESA’s ARTES program, supporting efforts to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness.

Antonio Franchi, Head of the Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity program at the ESA, said: “Through these challenges, ESA aims to accelerate technologies that give Europe an edge. Keysight and Sateliot demonstrate exactly this with a solution that tackles a critical need for future 5G and 6G networks by strengthening trust in network performance, improving resilience, and supporting the smooth integration of satellite and terrestrial systems.”

Richard Cockle, Head of GSMA Foundry at GSMA, said: “Now in its fifth year, the GSMA Foundry Excellence Awards continue to recognize and celebrate the most innovative and impactful projects in the mobile and digital industries. This year’s winners show how open collaboration can tackle real operator challenges and scale globally. Congratulations to Keysight and Sateliot for proving that innovation with measurable outcomes is the path to industry transformation.”

Eric Taylor, Vice President, Aerospace, Defense and Government Solutions at Keysight, said: “This recognition from the European Space Agency and the GSMA Foundry underscores the importance of trust, assurance, and autonomy as NTNs scale toward commercial readiness. Our collaboration with Sateliot demonstrates how advanced test, measurement, and AI‑driven analytics can bring unprecedented visibility into hybrid space-terrestrial networks. By enabling verifiable performance and real‑time anomaly detection, we are helping operators accelerate the deployment of resilient, standards‑based NTN services worldwide.”

Thierry Locquette, Vice President of Sales, Europe at Keysight, added: “Keysight has a long‑standing, deeply rooted footprint in Europe, with local R&D, engineering, and service teams supporting customers across the continent. This latest achievement reinforces our commitment to strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty in advanced telecommunications and aerospace. By combining global expertise with strong European execution, we enable industry partners to validate, secure, and scale next‑generation NTN and space‑based connectivity solutions, ensuring they are developed and deployed in alignment with Europe’s strategic priorities.”

Albert Pujol, CIO at Sateliot, said: “This award is a recognition of the talent of our R&D team in creating a trusted architecture. Together with Keysight, we have demonstrated that Sateliot not only offers global connectivity but also leads the way in the resilience and operational autonomy necessary to transform space into a secure infrastructure.”