LC Signal Communications & Networks

NICT and Sharp Build a Domestic 5G NTN Test Facility: Toward Satellite Communication Trials with Vehicles and Drones

On October 8, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)
and Sharp announced that they have built a test facility for 5G NTN,
a standard that applies 5G technology to satellite communications,
at the Kashima Space Technology Center in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture.
They aim to begin operations within 2026
and plan to use the facility for communication trials with cars and drones.
The facility creates an environment in Japan for technical verification
that has often relied on overseas facilities.

What Was Announced: A Test Facility Connecting Satellites and Terrestrial Networks

The facility connects satellite communication systems
with terrestrial communication infrastructure.
A Ka-band parabolic gateway antenna and other equipment
were installed on the roof of a building at the Kashima Space Technology Center.
Unlike terminals mounted on vehicles,
it is used at a fixed location on the ground.

The center has long served as a base for space communications research
and satellite communication experiments.
With no tall buildings nearby and an open view of the sky,
it is described as well suited to satellite communications.

The announcement concerns the construction of the facility.
The release refers to the license required for using satellite communications
and states an aim to begin operations within 2026.
After operations begin, communication quality and stability
will be tested on moving vehicles.

What Changes: Bringing Verification That Relied on Overseas Facilities to Japan

According to the announcement, test environments for 5G NTN in Japan
have been limited, and overseas facilities were often used.
The new facility is intended to enable technical verification
and communication trials within Japan.

Satellite communications currently use different methods depending on the operator.
The companies say that as 5G NTN standardization progresses,
terminals based on common specifications will become easier to develop,
expanding the possibility of using multiple satellite communication services
with a single terminal.

Testing Communications on the Move and Switching from Terrestrial Networks

Once the facility is operating, satellite communication user terminals
will be mounted on cars and drones.
The companies also plan to verify handover technology,
which switches connections between terrestrial networks
and satellite communications while maintaining communication.
Trials will move forward with applications such as autonomous driving in view.

On the terminal side, NICT, Sharp, Mitsubishi Chemical, and TECHLAB
announced in June 2026 that they had reduced the weight
of a flat-panel antenna for NTN.
By redesigning the heat dissipation device,
they reduced the antenna’s weight from 5.5 kg to 2.9 kg
and also confirmed its operation as a satellite communication user terminal,
including the modem.
That result concerns equipment mounted on moving vehicles,
separate from the ground-side facility announced this time.

LC Signal’s Perspective: From Mountable Terminals to Communications on the Move

In June, the companies showed a lighter antenna
and confirmed its operation as a terminal;
now, a domestic facility for testing with vehicles and drones is in place.
The progress lies in having an environment
to check quality and connection switching while moving,
in addition to developing equipment that can be mounted.

In particular, verifying that communication is maintained
between terrestrial and satellite links
is closer to real-world use than simply checking whether a satellite connection works.
How stable will communication be on the move
once operations begin later this year?
The results of those trials are the next thing to watch.

Key Sources

This article was prepared with AI assistance using publicly available information
as of October 9, 2026.
Announcement dates follow the dates shown on the official pages.
Earlier development results are used as technical background,
with their announcement dates noted.
The start of facility operations and communication trials are planned,
and are distinguished from what has already been carried out.
“LC Signal’s Perspective” reflects this publication’s interpretation
of the available information.

Back to LC Signal