Luxembourg & Athens – OQ Technology, a Luxembourg-based satellite operator pioneering 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) connectivity through its direct-to-device (D2D) global satellite network, and its Greek subsidiary OQ Technology Hellas, today announced the successful launch of ERMIS-1 and ERMIS-2, two satellites built by OQ Technology Hellas, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
The satellites were successfully deployed into low Earth orbit (LEO) following launch and will now begin initial commissioning and in-orbit testing.
ERMIS-1 and ERMIS-2 are part of the ERMIS CubeSat constellation, a national program led by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) in collaboration with the Hellenic Space Center and supported by the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance, with contributions from academic and industrial partners in Greece. OQ Technology Hellas was responsible for the design, build, assembly, integration, and testing of the two satellites.
The launch follows a contract award in 2023 from the European Space Agency (ESA) to support the ERMIS mission. The contract covered the procurement of components and the build, assembly, integration, and testing of two CubeSats, which were manufactured by OQ Technology Hellas in Greece with 5G NTN payloads from OQ Technology Luxembourg. The ERMIS mission is part of a broader national space program supported by the Hellenic Space Center and the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance, aimed at strengthening Greece’s capabilities in satellite communications and advanced space technologies. The satellites will be used in conjunction with the OQ Technology fleet to provide 5G NTN IoT service and D2D emergency broadcast messaging directly to smartphones in Europe and beyond. OQ Technology became the first European sovereign D2D satellite operator after it successfully managed to broadcast messages directly to smartphones in Europe from its LEO satellites with plans to launch more capable satellites offering two-way messaging and eventually voice using unmodified smartphones.
The ERMIS satellites were selected by the Hellenic Space Center and funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) under the Greek CubeSat In-Orbit Validation (IOV) program, an initiative aimed at strengthening Greece’s national space capabilities and accelerating the development of advanced satellite technologies.
OQ Technology Hellas built, assembled, integrated, and tested ERMIS-1 and ERMIS-2, leveraging its expertise in small satellite development and next-generation space connectivity systems. The satellites are designed to support a range of advanced applications including standard-based satellite IoT, direct-to-device (D2D) and 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) connectivity, as well as high-resolution Earth observation and optical communications.
In addition, the ERMIS mission has the potential to support emergency broadcast and public warning capabilities from space, enabling authorities to deliver critical alerts and emergency communications directly to compatible devices and remote areas when terrestrial networks are unavailable, congested, or disrupted. This capability could play an important role in disaster response, civil protection, maritime safety, and national resilience.
“The successful launch of ERMIS-1 and ERMIS-2 marks another important milestone for OQ Technology and reinforces our role in advancing 5G NTN and direct-to-device connectivity from space as a sovereign European player, we would like to thank the Ministry of Digital Governance and Phaistos Investment Fund for their support of 5G satellite initiatives” said Omar Qaise, Founder and CEO of OQ Technology. “Through ERMIS, we are contributing to Europe’s efforts to develop sovereign space capabilities while enabling critical use cases such as emergency communications and resilient connectivity.”
With the satellites now in orbit, the ERMIS mission will proceed with commissioning and technology demonstrations, supporting Greece’s ambitions in next-generation satellite communications and reinforcing Europe’s position in 5G NTN and direct-to-device (D2D) innovation.
About OQ Technology
OQ Technology is a satellite operator pioneering 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) connectivity through its direct-to-device (D2D) global satellite network. The company is the first in Europe to operate a LEO constellation dedicated to D2D services, using its 60 MHz of MSS S-band spectrum rights to deliver secure, seamless, and standards-based connectivity to unmodified smartphones and IoT devices.
OQ Technology bridges the gap between terrestrial and space-based mobile networks, enabling real-time, 3GPP-compliant 5G NTN communications for governments, enterprises, and consumers worldwide.
Learn more: www.oqtec.com
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