The French space agency CNES has signed a €31 million contract with Paris-based startup UNIVITY and telecommunications and broadcasting giant TDF to conduct an in-orbit demonstration of satellite-enabled 5G connectivity.
Founded in 2022 under the name Constellation Technologies & Operations, UNIVITY aims to develop a very low Earth orbit constellation to provide global high-speed, low-latency internet services. A prototype of the company’s regenerative 5G mmWave payload was part of a 23 June SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare mission, hosted aboard the D-Orbit SpaceBound ION mission. The company expects to launch a pair of prototype satellites in 2027, followed by the deployment of its full constellation between 2028 and 2030.
Initially announced in June, the awarding of the “Demonstration of an Innovative 5G NTN mmWave Connectivity Service from VLEO Satellites” project is being framed as a way for France to offer competition to the SpaceX Starlink network.
While the core technology will be developed by UNIVITY, TDF will, according to a 1 September press release, “play a central role” by hosting, installing, operating, and maintaining the three “gateway stations.” The company describes the gateway stations, two of which will be hosted in France and the other “overseas,” as ensuring seamless interoperability between the satellite system and operators’ terrestrial networks.
Phase 1 of the project has already commenced and is expected to involve the development of technical specifications and use case studies. Beginning in April 2026, the second phase will cover the assembly, integration, testing, and in-orbit operation of the company’s first two VLEO 5G satellites.
The €31 million in co-funding is being awarded through the country’s France 2030 initiative, which supports the development of innovative technologies in strategic areas such as space, energy, and digital infrastructure. In addition to CNES’s contribution, UNIVITY and TDF will be responsible for covering 30% of the project’s total cost. UNIVITY estimates the total project cost at €44 million.
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