Forsway Achieves Key ESA Milestone in ESA’s ARTES 4.0 Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity Strategic Programme Line Xtend 5G Satellite Connectivity Project

Marking a major step forward in Forsway’s mission to advance 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) technology and expand satellite-based broadband connectivity to remote and underserved areas, Forsway has reached an important milestone in its ESA ARTES 4.0 Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity Strategic Programme Line co-funded Xtend 5G development project successfully completing the Preliminary Design Review (PDR).

“We are very pleased to have completed the PDR milestone with positive feedback from ESA,” says Edvin Lindqvist, Forsway’s CTO. “This successful review confirms that our development approach is sound and positions us well for the continued development of advanced 5G satellite connectivity solutions.”

What is the Xtend 5G development project?

Forsway is creating a new communication system aimed at security, government organizations, the energy sector and others requiring secure, robust, and fast communication where full control over the connectivity ecosystem is crucial. Xtend 5G can be employed in an open or closed network format.

  • The Xtend 5G system will be an independent connectivity solution to satellite platforms with the aim of providing a main connectivity source or essential backup for a critical system. The system will be a white label solution that will enable any security solution to be ported on top.
  • Development is co-funded by ESA’s ARTES 4.0 Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity strategic programme line.

Building on a Strong Foundation

The PDR follows the successful completion of the Requirements Review (RR) earlier this year, where Forsway finalized the Requirements Specification and established a baseline system architecture. Together, these milestones demonstrate steady progress through ESA’s structured development process, reflecting both technical rigor and commitment to innovation.

What the PDR Milestone Means

The Preliminary Design Review is a key checkpoint in Forsway’s project lifecycle. During the review, Forsway presented its system design, architecture specifications, and initial test plans. The results of the review confirmed that all technical requirements have been properly addressed and that the project is ready to move into the critical design and the detailed implementation phase.

-“A particularly exciting highlight was Forsway’s successful simulation of a satellite terminal connecting to a 5G NTN network in a geostationary orbit (GEO) configuration,” continues Lindqvist.

The demonstration showed data traffic flowing over realistic GEO latency conditions—an important validation of the technical feasibility of merging 5G and satellite communication technologies.

-“Forsway’s progress in the Xtend 5G project illustrates how European innovation continues to drive advancements in satellite-enabled connectivity. By combining terrestrial and non-terrestrial 5G technologies, projects like this are helping to lay the groundwork for more resilient and inclusive global communications.”

Looking Ahead Toward Critical Design Review

With the PDR milestone achieved, the project now advances to the Critical Design Review (CDR) phase. This next step will see Forsway finalize and freeze the system design, implement the majority of its 5G Core network components, and conduct extensive testing to verify functionality. The CDR will mark readiness for full system integration and validation testing—paving the way for bringing next-generation 5G connectivity to regions beyond the reach of terrestrial networks.