MoU Signed with the University of Luxembourg and Collaborative Research Agreement Signed with Odysseus Space

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on research cooperation with the University of Luxembourg and a collaborative research agreement with Odysseus Space on May 4, 2026. The agreements were signed at the Luxembourg Prime Minister's Office in the presence of H.E. Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan, and H.E. Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation and Minister for Research and Higher Education of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

The University of Luxembourg, established in 2003, is the country’s only university. Through its Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT), it conducts research and development in key areas such as AI, quantum communications, advanced networking, and signal processing, supporting next-generation space communications and non-terrestrial networks (NTN) in the context of Beyond 5G/6G.

The scope of cooperation under the MoU covers a wide range of ICT fields centered on space communications and NTN, including satellite constellations, optical Earth-to-space communication links, AI for space systems, and network orchestration. Based on this MoU, NICT and the University of Luxembourg will promote collaboration through information exchange, researcher mobility, and the co-organization of workshops and other joint activities.

NICT and Odysseus Space plan to conduct joint experiments on optical satellite-to-ground communications, leveraging their respective space and ground assets to enable interoperability. Given the limited opportunities for in-orbit demonstration of such technologies, this collaboration will expand opportunities for demonstrations and data acquisition at NICT and contribute to the advancement and commercialization of optical communication services both in Japan and internationally.