A new facility, based at ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, will provide a dedicated resource and focal point for European businesses and researchers to develop, test and demonstrate AI-enabled technologies for future satellite and terrestrial networks. Officially opened today with support from the UK Space Agency, the AI Hub will build on the success of ECSAT’s 5G/6G Hub, which has helped industry bring satellite and terrestrial networks together, enabling terrestrial/non-terrestrial network (TN/NTN) integration since 2022. The new Hub has been developed under ESA’s Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity strategic programme line which is advancing 5G and 6G technologies to support the digital transformation of Europe by integrating non-terrestrial networks (NTN) with ground networks.
As space systems grow larger and more complex, software that can learn, adapt and make decisions in real time can improve performance, automate operations and increase resilience. The Hub will focus on advancing satellite-enabled connectivity and will facilitate activities in a number of strategic areas, including more efficient spectrum usage, the development of autonomous robotics and drone platforms, cognitive networking across multiple orbits and the enhancement of cybersecurity to support resilient infrastructure. It will also cover 6G and direct-to-device communications, and digital twins of converged networks.
Antonio Franchi, Head of ESA’s 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity programme, said: “We are very proud to be opening the new AI Hub today, here on Harwell campus in the UK. The AI Hub will bring together multiple projects aimed at demonstrating embodied AI through robotics in the UK and expand opportunities for industry and academic partners to develop AI for NTN solutions. The future of AI in networking represents an immense opportunity for Europe, and through ESA’s first AI Hub, we will advance the necessary technologies to realise the future of network management, optimisation, multi-orbit architectures and market innovation.”
Henny Sands, Head of Telecoms Investment at the UK Space Agency said: “The UK Space Agency is pleased to support the new AI Hub at ECSAT. Our investment in this facility reflects the exciting opportunities AI presents for the space sector, providing a dedicated environment to bring together expertise, develop new ideas and support collaboration and innovation. Building on the great work already taking place through the 5G/6G Hub, we hope the AI Hub will help turn new ideas into practical applications and opportunities for the sector.”
Visitors being shown ECSAT AI Hub during its inauguration on 3 November 2026.
From intelligent satellites to autonomous drones
AI is already making a difference in the space sector. In orbit, neural networks can spot faults in telemetry before they become failures, anticipate component degeneration, and process data on board using edge compute. AI-based approaches can also help plan how constellations are deployed, adapt as their topology changes, and flag likely collisions earlier. On Earth and on other planets, robots and rovers use AI to map their surroundings, navigate challenging terrain and keep working when something goes wrong.
The new Hub will give companies and academic institutions access to computing resources, robotics platforms, drones, demonstration space and a technical laboratory for developing and testing applications. It will also support PhD supervision and post doctoral research opportunities through ongoing university programmes, linking post doctoral research with AI for NTN development and experimentation. They will be able to connect to a private satellite pool supporting multi-orbit connectivity. Its location next to the neighbouring 5G/6G Hub will enable partners to test AI applications, autonomous systems and next-generation TN/NTN networks side by side.
First project underway
The Hub is already connecting UK industrial and academic expertise. Its first project brings together UK company Autodiscovery and the Oxford Robotics Institute to explore the capabilities of a four-legged robot and scouting drone connected over space-enabled networks.
Read more about the ESA, Autodiscovery and Oxford RoboticsESA expects more industry and academia-led projects to follow, creating new opportunities for European partners to develop, test and showcase AI-enabled solutions for space and terrestrial applications.
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