THRUST 01
System Architecture & O-RAN for NTN
Design L/S-band satellite radio payloads and fronthaul, predictive/cooperative beamforming and NTN-aware RU/DU/CU and RIC control for orbital mobility.
An NSF VINES Collaborative Research Project
O2-RAN
Orbital Open Radio Access Network
AI-Native Open RAN for Non-Terrestrial Networks & Space-Based Edge Computing
Advancing open, intelligent and resilient connectivity across satellite, aerial and terrestrial networks through joint communication, computation and energy-aware orchestration.
THE PROJECT
Intelligent connectivity beyond terrestrial networks
Open, predictive, compute-aware communication across space, air and ground.
About O²-RAN
O²-RAN is a collaborative research project supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) through its VINES Track 2 program. With $4.8 million in funding, the project is led by Farshad Firouzi of Johns Hopkins University. O²-RAN aims to advance 5G/6G satellite communications and in-orbit edge computing through an AI-native, compute-aware Open RAN architecture designed for non-terrestrial networks. Its research focuses on developing an end-to-end, NTN-adapted O-RAN hardware and software stack, encompassing L/S-band radio units, satellite payloads, distributed and central units (DU/CU), intelligent RAN controllers (RICs), service management and orchestration (SMO), and AI-driven computing and workload management. A central goal is to design, build, and launch an O²-RAN CubeSat into low Earth orbit, enabling experimental validation of satellite direct-to-cell connectivity, onboard AI processing, and space-based edge computing.
Beyond extending wireless coverage, O²-RAN seeks to transform satellites into programmable communication and computing platforms capable of hosting edge services and processing AI workloads directly in orbit. Through intelligent workload placement, AI-driven orchestration, and communication–computation co-optimization, the project advances in-orbit edge computing and future space-based data center capabilities, laying the foundation for open, interoperable, and resilient 5G/6G space–air–ground networks.
Learn about the projectRESEARCH PROGRAM
Three research thrusts
Coordinated development of NTN-ready O²-RAN software, satellite and aerial hardware, intelligent orchestration, and integrated system validation.
THRUST 02
Communication-Aware Distributed Edge Intelligence
Develop compute-aware service models, Near-RT xApps and Non-RT rApps for predictive slicing, workload placement and edge offloading.
THRUST 03
End-to-End Use Case Integration
Integrate the full NTN O-RAN stack across mission-driven scenarios, validate KPIs and demonstrate interoperability across heterogeneous nodes.
RESEARCH CAPABILITIES
Core Technical Directions
From a working O²-RAN software stack and satellite radio hardware to AI-native control and distributed edge computing.
VALIDATION SCENARIOS
Research use cases
Project requirements and demonstrations are grounded in three representative applications.
UC 01
Disaster-Resilient Aerial Base Stations
UAV-mounted base stations restore communications in areas affected by damaged or unavailable ground infrastructure.
- Rapidly deployable aerial connectivity
- Resilient backhaul and adaptive network control
- Service prioritization for emergency operations
UC 02
Direct-to-Cell Satellite & CubeSat Connectivity
CubeSat-class L/S-band radio payloads and regenerative NTN functions support a planned direct-to-cell validation pathway, building toward satellite links with user devices.
- CubeSat direct-to-cell payload and testbed
- Predictive beam, Doppler and handover management
- NTN-aware RU/DU/CU integration
UC 03
UAV Swarms with MEC Offloading
Coordinated UAVs distribute sensing and AI workloads across aerial, satellite and ground edge resources.
- Collaborative sensing and inference
- Compute-communication co-optimization
- Predictive workload migration
DEMONSTRATION ROADMAP
Six planned milestones
A phased path from architecture validation to integrated space–air–ground demonstration.
Project-relative months (M6–M36). Locations, configurations and schedules are planned and subject to coordination.
M6Architecture
M11Emulation
M18Closed Loop
M23HIL
M30UAV Field
M36Integrated NTN
RESEARCH CONSORTIUM
Team & Partners
Interdisciplinary collaboration with academic and industry researchers.
COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH TEAM
Meet the Team & Partners
Bringing together complementary expertise
Five academic institutions and four industry partners advancing Open RAN for non-terrestrial networks, distributed edge intelligence, and integrated system demonstrations.
Academic & industry collaboration
Arizona State UniversityClemson UniversityJohns Hopkins UniversityUCLAUniversity of MichiganGeneral AtomicsAetheroSkylark WirelessDASH Tech IC
PROJECT OUTPUTS
Publications & Resources
Peer-reviewed research, open-source tools and datasets will be posted when available.
Publications
Peer-reviewed papers, technical reports, presentations and research posters.
Content forthcomingSoftware & Tools
O-RAN/NTN extensions, example configurations and publicly available research code.
Content forthcomingDatasets & Demos
Validation datasets, experiment descriptions, benchmark materials and demonstration media.
Content forthcomingCONNECT WITH THE CONSORTIUM
Contact the project Research collaboration & inquiries
For project information and research collaboration opportunities, visit the contact page.