HARMONI-CSP

Research Project, 2027 – 2029

Terrestrial networks are advancing rapidly, but cannot ensure seamless global coverage, leaving oceans, deserts, disaster zones, andremote regions underserved. Satellites are therefore indispensable for bridging the digital divide and providing resilient connectivitywhere ground infrastructure is absent or vulnerable. Yet current satellite systems operate in silos, with communications, sensing, andPositioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) delivered by separate constellations. This fragmentation wastes spectral and orbital resources,duplicates hardware, inflates deployment and operational costs, and increases orbital congestion and debris, while also preventing servicesynergies—for example, communication links cannot aid distributed sensing, nor can sensing data enhance navigation. HARMONI-CSP (Highly Advanced and Resilient Multi-functiON SatellIte systems for Communication, Sensing and Positioning) pioneers Multi-Function Satellite Systems (MFSS), integrating communications, sensing, and PNT within unified platforms. Leveraging software-defined payloads and wideband reconfigurable RF components, the project investigates three integration levels: cooperative (sharedhardware), integrated (shared hardware and spectrum), and joint (shared hardware, spectrum, and waveforms). The project establishesMFSS foundations by assessing mission feasibility to quantify reductions in satellite launches and costs, developing models for inter-service interference and coexistence, and designing joint waveform and beamforming techniques validated via high-fidelity simulations.These advances will enable a sustainable satellite ecosystem that enhances spectral and energy efficiency, reduces CAPEX/OPEX, andmitigates debris risks. Beyond efficiency, MFSS unlocks cross-domain synergies—e.g., radar improving positioning or communicationssupporting distributed sensing—opening new space-enabled services. HARMONI-CSP will strengthen European leadership in 6G non-terrestrial networks.