On February 28^th, a special session on research advancements in governmental satellite communications (GOVSATCOM) took place as part of an international conference on satellite communications and signal processing (ASMS/SPSC). This session, co-organized by ESA, DLR, CTTC, and the University of Bologna, provided a key networking opportunity to promote collaboration among projects funded under Horizon Europe, a major European research initiative.

Moderated by the Spanish HE Space NCP from CDTI, the session offered an overview of ongoing activities within the GOVSATCOM program and introduced a range of funded projects. Three projects—GEXTRECS, SIGMA, and 5G-GOVSATCOM, focused on innovative satellite communication solutions—were featured prominently during the event.

Each project presentation was followed by an engaging panel discussion in which both speakers and attendees actively participated. The event proved highly valuable in identifying synergies between projects and reinforcing the importance of coordinated efforts to maximize the impact of government-funded research.

GEXTRECS is focused on developing and demonstrating an end-to-end satellite communication service for crisis management during extreme events. These events, whether natural or human-made, can have significant cross-border consequences. The project explores use cases involving both land and maritime scenarios, underscoring the role of satellite-based solutions in maintaining communication resilience during large-scale emergencies.

The GEXTRECS presentation, under the title “GOVSATCOM, Extreme Crisis Management Service: Demonstration of Space Saving Lives” gave by Almudena Sánchez González,  Business Development Executive at GMV highlighted the project’s progress at a key moment, as it had just passed its Mid-Term Review. This review marked the successful completion of the first-year demonstration, which included innovative solutions, stakeholder workshop conclusions, and key lessons learned. This milestone was critical in the project timeline, as the full end-to-end GEXTRECS Service Pack (i.e., GOVSATCOM user services) was tested. This ensured the integrity of data transfer and validated the performance of key technological innovations, including GMV’s Dynamic Planner and TTCOMM’s Network Balancer for handover between satellite military X-band, satellite commercial Ku-band and terrestrial networks. The project also successfully showcased synergies with specific Copernicus Emergency products, Galileo OSNMA and Galileo PRS services.

The success of this research-focused session underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration among HE-funded initiatives. By fostering synergies, sharing insights, and driving innovation, the space research community is playing an essential role in developing more resilient and effective crisis management solutions.

Looking ahead, the project is entering its final phase, with a comprehensive demonstration scheduled for late 2025. End users, stakeholders, and relevant organizations are encouraged to stay informed and participate in this upcoming showcase of satellite-enabled crisis response capabilities.