A new CubeSat developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA) has made it to orbit as a part of the Direct Access Live Demonstration (LIDE) mission. Aiming to test the feasibility and demonstrate the establishment of a stable 5G connection from low Earth orbit, LIDE serves as a proof-of-concept to provide connectivity anywhere in the world, especially in underserved areas.
The LIDE satellite developed by Tyvak International, an Italian company specialising in small satellites, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US, on a rideshare mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher on 23 July 2025 at 20:13 CEST (11:13 PT). Supported under the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity, LIDE follows the "Direct Access 5G Satcom Reference Mission" (REMI) that has laid the groundwork for LIDE, by devising a feasibility study for providing 5G broadband access to rural and suburban areas via a SmallSats that LIDE is now aiming to demonstrate and test in a practical environment.
By demonstrating the feasibility of achieving broadband 5G NTN communications with low gain antenna terminals, the project paves the way for more inclusive and widespread internet access. In the coming months the 5G/6G Hub at ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT), Harwell, UK, and the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (TEC) at ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, will study and learn the reliability and performance of this 5G connection from experiments.
“The LIDE mission is the first time a CubeSat will connect with a Very Small Aperture Terminal via 5G, and it is a key milestone that puts into orbit the first experimental elements of our future 5G Non-Terrestrial Network. With the lessons learned at the 5G/6G Hub, ESA Connectivity and Secure Communications helps the private space sector seize the opportunity to become global leaders in orbital 5G,” said Antonio Franchi, the Head of the Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme.
"Through this experimental mission, ESA reaffirms its commitment to support its Member State industry to be at the forefront of key space technology innovations, set to improve the performance and efficiency of future satellite telecommunication systems," said Alberto Ginesi, the Head of the Telecom System Section at the Connectivity and Secure Communications.
"We are very pleased to be a prime and active part of such an important project that can represent a point of reference for the development of satellite telecommunications infrastructures in our country and across Europe," said Fabio Nichele, CEO of Tyvak International.
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