A key technology of future 6G communication systems is Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), which extend the existing terrestrial infrastructure with satellite- or airborne-based components, thereby enabling new application scenarios. For the simulation-based analysis and evaluation of such networks, the Communications Engineering group has developed the open-source simulation tool OpenNTN, which allows for realistic and standard-compliant simulation of complex NTN channels.

Beyond purely simulation-based investigations, so-called Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) approaches are also of great interest. These approaches enable the evaluation of communication systems under real-world conditions using actual hardware. However, conducting practical experiments and measurements over NTN channels is associated with significant effort and cost, making the emulation of such channel conditions an efficient alternative.

In this context, OpenNTN can be used to compute the behavior of NTN channels and apply it to hardware. The objective of this work is therefore to extend and integrate OpenNTN into an environment compatible with the popular framework OpenAirInterface (OAI). OAI is a widely used, open-access framework for implementing mobile communication systems and already supports the integration of hardware platforms such as USRPs.

This project aims to further enhance the practical applicability of OpenNTN and to improve the investigation of NTN scenarios under realistic conditions.