n a major step toward unlocking the potential of space-based 5G, Aalyria, in partnership with Keysight Technologies, has unveiled successful testing of its Spacetime RIC—an intelligent RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) designed specifically for Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN).
The collaboration, showcased in a newly released video titled “Advancing NTN Deployments with O-RAN RIC,” demonstrates how Aalyria’s Spacetime RIC performs in emulated, high-speed, and dynamic satellite environments. Using Keysight’s RICtest solution, the teams were able to verify intelligent control capabilities crucial for managing O-RAN functions in low Earth orbit (LEO) and hybrid NTN-terrestrial scenarios.
The testing configuration incorporates a full O-RAN-compliant NTN architecture—with emulated UEs, NTN channels, gateways, and transparent LEO satellites—demonstrating seamless integration across the RIC, O-CU, O-DU, and O-RU elements. Aalyria’s Spacetime platform orchestrates these elements in real time, supporting rapid beam switching, latency management, and multi-hop mobility across space assets. 
What sets Spacetime apart is its ability to optimize resource allocation and network behavior in extremely dynamic topologies, such as those found in satellite constellations. This opens the door to more resilient and globally distributed networks where NTN becomes a fully integrated extension—not just a fallback—to terrestrial 5G infrastructure.
Why It Matters:
As 3GPP Release 18 formalizes foundational NTN support and 6G discussions increasingly focus on global, persistent coverage, innovations like Spacetime RIC are critical. They address a key challenge: how to apply O-RAN principles—openness, intelligence, and vendor neutrality—in non-stationary, orbital environments where latency and link dynamics are fundamentally different from terrestrial systems.
The Aalyria–Keysight collaboration doesn’t just demonstrate technical feasibility; it lays groundwork for a future in which satellite and terrestrial systems operate in lockstep. This is especially relevant for emerging use cases in defense, maritime, remote enterprise, and disaster response, where terrestrial coverage is limited or unavailable.
Key Questions:
- How scalable are intelligent RIC architectures like Spacetime in large, multi-orbit constellations?
- What level of real-time adaptability is achievable under the constraints of satellite link variability?
- Can commercial NTN solutions maintain O-RAN compatibility across heterogeneous vendors and platforms?
As the race toward 6G accelerates, integrating intelligence into every layer of the RAN—including space—isn’t just visionary—it’s necessary. Aalyria’s work with Keysight offers a practical glimpse into that future.
