In an age where 75 billion connected devices are anticipated by 2025, OQ Technology, a Luxembourg-based pioneer, has embarked on a mission to establish the world’s first satellite-based 5G narrowband Internet of Things (IoT) constellation in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Their goal – expand the boundaries of IoT and bring seamless 5G connectivity to remote corners of the globe that were previously left off the digital map.

Helping OQ Technology’s endeavor is NanoAvionics. Since 2021, we have been privileged to provide our small satellite buses and mission expertise to power OQ’s vision and enable their success, one satellite at a time.

To date, three NanoAvionics-built satellites have taken their place in the sky for OQ Technology, with three more preparing to launch in 2023 and 2024. They will further enhance access, capacity, and revisit times for OQ’s customers that are already taking advantage of their satellite offering.

According to Saudi Aramco, one of the biggest companies in the world by revenue and an investor in OQ Technology, “Most of our remote sites are connected by the world’s largest very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) network. This uses geostationary satellites, in a fixed position at 36,000 kilometers above the Earth, to transmit data to and from ground sites. However, the distance causes latency that limits the applications VSAT can support. LEO satellites solve this. These networks of satellites orbit the Earth, rather than remaining geostationary, as low as 160 kilometers above the surface. The satellites can support and extend 5G networks, taking on a role that would otherwise require extending networks of cell towers. Crucially, they can handle the large data volumes associated with many 4th Industrial Revolution applications and do so with the very low latency levels that are needed for many real time-sensitive applications.”

The case study below shows how by taking advantage of the agility offered by standard satellite buses, space entrepreneurs like OQ Technology can find their market fit, onboard paying customers, and attract investment in just a couple of years, the time it usually takes to build a bespoke satellite otherwise.

Click on the picture below to read the full customer success story: