On September 19, 2025, DLR, a key partner in UNITY-6G, hosted a high-profile expert forum titled “NTN, Security & Resilience.” The event brought together leading minds from industry, research, and public institutions to explore the critical role of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) in securing Europe’s digital future.
The forum emphasized the strategic importance of NTN for ensuring digital sovereignty, with detailed discussions on security-by-design, zero-trust architectures, and the seamless integration of terrestrial and satellite networks. Attendees connected with experts and stakeholders to explore how these technologies can strengthen network resilience and enhance coverage.
The event kicked off with opening remarks from Dr. Sandro Scalise, Head of the Satellite Networks Department at the DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation, and Matthias Hafner, Innovation Network Digitization Project Manager at Bayern Innovativ GmbH. Highlights of the day included an insightful keynote on the IRIS² initiative, a presentation on Deutsche Telekom’s 6G-TakeOff project, and a dynamic panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Scalise, which encouraged active participation and questions from the audience.
A central highlight of the event was the exhibition of selected EU projects focused on NTN. UNITY-6G was showcased by DLR’s Purva Joshi, Muhamad Luthfi, and Balaji Kirubakaran, standing alongside other notable initiatives such as 5G STARDUST, Nexasphere, 6G-NTN, 6G-Takeoff, and 6G-RIC. The exhibition provided a valuable opportunity to present the UNITY-6G architecture and emphasize the project’s anticipated contributions to the evolution of 6G.Additionally, attendees were offered exclusive, guided tours of DLR’s cutting-edge facilities, including the ISS control center, the laser communication lab, and the robotics and mechatronics department, offering a firsthand look at the innovations driving space and communication technologies.
The “NTN, Security & Resilience” forum successfully highlighted the ongoing collaborative efforts to build a secure, resilient, and interconnected digital infrastructure for Europe, with UNITY-6G playing a vital role in this transformative journey.
