Head of 6GSPACE Lab
Research Scientist @ SnT · Uni.lu
Entrepreneur & Tech ExpertDr. Jorge Querol
Senior Researcher · Space Technology Expert · Entrepreneur · Independent Consultant
Head of the 6GSPACE Lab at SnT (University of Luxembourg), co-founder of space/GNSS spin-offs, and independent technical consultant for global telecom and defense organizations, with over 15 years of experience advancing 6G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), anti-jamming & GNSS security, and satellite communication and Earth observation systems.
Core Research and Expertise Pillars
My research and consulting program integrates satellite and terrestrial communication systems to address key challenges in global connectivity, security, and space sustainability.
1. 6G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN)
5G/6G satellite links, multi-orbit (LEO/GEO/MEO) connectivity, Direct-to-Device (D2D) mobile communications, and OpenAirInterface protocol stack adaptations.
2. AI-driven Anti-jamming / Interference Countermeasures
Real-time radio frequency interference (RFI) detection, mitigation and excision algorithms for GNSS, satellite navigation, microwave radiometry, and spaceborne sensors. Co-inventor of US Granted Patent US9596610B1.
3. Joint Comms, Sensing & Positioning (JCAS / JCAP)
Multi-functional satellite payloads combining communications, radar Earth observation, and GNSS-5G hybrid radio positioning for resilient PNT.
4. Quantum and Optical Infrastructure
Luxembourg National Quantum Communication Infrastructure (LUQCIA), free-space optical (FSO) QKD networks, orbital angular momentum (OAM) light modes, and space-terrestrial quantum links.
6GSPACE Lab6GSPACE Lab Testbeds and Experimental Platforms
As Head of the 6GSPACE Lab within SIGCOM at SnT, I manage state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure (40+ researchers) enabling high-TRL industrial applications.
📡 5G-NTN OpenAirInterface Testbed
Real-time 3GPP 5G NR / 6G satellite channel and protocol emulation over GEO, MEO, and LEO non-terrestrial links.
🧠 COTS AI Accelerator Platform
Onboard satellite payload processing, digital beamforming, and resource allocation using neuromorphic and NPU chipsets.
📶 SDR & Antenna Measurement Facility
Distributed USRP transceivers, ADALM-PLUTO nodes, NGSO tracking antennas, and UAV-mounted beam pattern characterization.
🛰️ Direct-to-Device (D2D) & CubeSat Demonstrators
C-Band/S-Band Direct-to-Device satellite connectivity and 3U CubeSat in-orbit software-defined payload prototypes.
Latest Highlights and LinkedIn Updates
Invited Lecture at Aalborg University & 8 New IEEE Journals
Delivered the invited lecture "Turning 6G Satellites into Sensors: JCAS in NTN" at Aalborg University, alongside 8 new 2026 journal papers in IEEE JSAC, TCOMM, VTM, OJCOMS, and JSTARS.
PhD Thesis Defenses & 4 New Doctoral Researchers
Congratulations to Dr. Ashish Kumar Meshram (2026) and Dr. Alejandro González Garrido (2025) on defending their PhD theses at SnT, and welcome to 4 new PhD candidates joining the 6GSPACE Lab in 2026.
General Chair – MOMBSAT Workshop @ EUSIPCO & ASMS Tutorial
Chaired the Workshop on Multi-Orbit, Multi-Band Satellite Communications at EUSIPCO 2025 and delivered the 3-part tutorial on 6G Multi-Functional Satellite Systems at ASMS 2025.
Best Paper Award – AIAA ICSSC
Recognized at the AIAA International Communications Satellite Systems Conference for advancements in AI/ML-accelerated 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks.
🔗 Follow Live Updates on LinkedIn
For real-time announcements on conference keynotes, project demos, open PhD/Postdoc positions, and lab news, follow my activity feed on LinkedIn.
Talks, Tutorials and Presentations
20–22 Oct 2026 · Conference PresentationTDD in 5G LEO Satellite Networks: A Comparative Study of Guard-Period Strategies and Frame Durations
📍 Ka and Broadband Communications Conference 2026 (Milan, Italy)
Comparative analysis of Time-Division Duplex (TDD) guard-period sizing rules (Worst-RTT, Adaptive Per-UE, Minimum-RTT) and Extraordinary Downlink (xDL) guard-period reuse across 10–182 ms frame durations in 5G NR LEO networks (ESA ARTES 4.0 Project CREST-5G with OQ Technology).
📑 Key Takeaways & Slide Outline (26 Slides)
- LEO TDD Bottleneck: At 600 km altitude (4–8 ms RTT), standard 10 ms 5G NR frames lose 40%–80% of frame time to idle DL→UL guard periods.
- Adaptive Per-UE GP + xDL: Reclaims differential beam delay (ΔRTT) via RTT-based priority UL scheduling and reuses up to RTTmin/2 for Extraordinary Downlink (xDL) during UL wave propagation.
- Efficiency Boost: Increases 10 ms frame efficiency from 58.6% to 78.9% (+18.4% gain) with zero DL/UL self-interference.
6 Oct 2026 · Invited LectureTurning 6G Satellites into Sensors: Joint Communications and Sensing in Non-Terrestrial Networks
📍 Aalborg University
Addressing orbital overcrowding via Multi-Functional Satellite Systems (MFSS Levels 1–4), operational JCAS-NTN applications (weather, altimetry, maritime vessel detection, SAR), physical-layer radar link budgets, and LEO Signals of Opportunity (Starlink iSoOp-R).
📑 Key Takeaways & Slide Outline
- MFSS Taxonomy (Levels 1–4): Progression from shared satellite bus to shared spectrum, shared RF front-end, and unified dual-function JCAS waveforms.
- Bistatic & Spaceborne Radar: Link-budget trade-offs, ambiguity function shaping, and opportunistic Earth observation using LEO broadband constellations (Starlink Ku-band iSoOp-R).
28 Feb 2025 · Conference TutorialAn Overview of 6G Multi-Functional Satellite Systems for Communication, Sensing and Positioning
📍 ASMS 2025 – 12th Advanced Satellite Multimedia Systems Conference
Comprehensive 3-part tutorial (124 slides, with Dr. Prabhu Thiruvasagam & Dr. Alejandro González) covering MFSS architectures in 6G-NTN, sensing-centric vs. communication-centric JCAS design, and Joint Communications and PNT (JCAP) waveforms and bounds.
📑 Key Takeaways & Slide Outline (124 Slides)
- Part I (MFSS Architectures): System-level integration of communication, radar remote sensing, and PNT on LEO/MEO constellations.
- Part II (JCAS Signal Design): OFDM/OTFS vs. FMCW/chirp coexistence, Cramér-Rao Bounds (CRB), and interference cancellation.
- Part III (JCAP & Hybrid PNT): 5G NR Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) over NTN and GNSS-5G hybridization.
4 Apr 2024 · Invited TalkLuxembourgish Activities on B5G/6G-NTN
📍 ETSI Conference on Non-Terrestrial Networks, A Native Component of 6G (Sophia Antipolis)
Overview of Luxembourg's 5G/6G-NTN ecosystem and experimental demonstrators: in-lab testbeds (6GSPACE Lab, Pre5GNR), over-the-air trials (MICRO5G, ENGAGE live GEO), in-orbit 5G-Nanosatellite CubeSat, AI-accelerated SmartSpace, and LUQCIA quantum infrastructure.
📑 Key Takeaways & Slide Outline
- End-to-End 5G-NTN Validation: OpenAirInterface 5G NR stack over real-time hardware channel emulators and live SES GEO satellites.
- In-Orbit & Quantum Roadmaps: 3U CubeSat 5G UE demonstrator (5G-Nanosatellite) and national quantum communication testbed (LUQCIA).
12 Oct 2023 · Invited TalkChallenges in 6G Multi-Satellite Connectivity
📍 Satellite Communications & Space Systems Conference (SCSS 2023)
Evolution from 5G-NTN towards 6G 3D multi-layer networks, standardized multi-connectivity enabling technologies across Layers 1–3 (mTRP, Carrier Aggregation, Dual Connectivity, ATSSS), and the 8 core challenges for multi-orbit satellite integration.
📑 Key Takeaways & Slide Outline
- Multi-Orbit Architecture: Simultaneous GEO + LEO/MEO dual connectivity across protocol Layers 1–3 (mTRP, MC-CA, MR-DC, MP-TCP/ATSSS).
- 8 Core Technical Challenges: Differential delay synchronization, Doppler compensation, conditional handovers, and user terminal antenna constraints.
Key Research Projects
SMS2 – Sustainable Multi-Functional Satellite Systems
📅 2025 – 2028 · FNR-CORE
Coexistence and joint waveform optimization of communications, radar sensing, and positioning payloads on shared satellite hardware and spectrum.
COSMIC – Direct-to-Device Communications in Mobile Satellite Systems
📅 2025 – 2028 · FNR-5G BRIDGES
Channel modeling, compact terminal antenna prototyping, and over-the-satellite field demonstration for C-band Direct-to-Device (D2D) connectivity.
Q-LIMIT – Quantum with Structured Lights in Military Telecommunication
📅 2025 – 2027 · FNR-CyberHub
Resilient Free-Space Optical (FSO) Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) using structured light orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes for defense networks.
5G-Nanosatellite – Integrated 5G UE for 3U CubeSat In-Orbit Demonstrator
📅 2024 – 2028 · ESA + Altice Labs
Miniaturized 3GPP 5G NR User Equipment terminal payload fitted into a 3U CubeSat mission for live in-orbit validation of direct satellite-to-ground links.
ATLAS – Autonomous Systems for Land, Air and Space
📅 2024 – 2029 · FNR-IPBG
Cross-border 5G/6G UAV connectivity, non-terrestrial satellite backhauling, and autonomous multi-domain vehicle coordination.
5G-EMERGE – Satellite-Enhanced Edge Delivery
📅 2024 – 2026 · ESA ARTES
5G Multicast and Broadcast Services (5MBS) demonstration over GEO and LEO satellite networks for intelligent edge caching and vehicular delivery.
Featured Publications
2026 · IEEE JSACHolographic Joint Communications and Sensing With Cramér-Rao Bounds
C. K. Sheemar, W. U. Khan, G. C. Alexandropoulos, Jorge Querol, S. Chatzinotas · IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications (JSAC)
2026 · IEEE JSTARSAutomatic RFI Detection, Location, and Classification System in GNSS Bands
A. Pérez-Portero, Jorge Querol, A. Camps · IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing (JSTARS)
2026 · IEEE TCOMMJoint Beamforming and 3D Location Optimization for Multi-User Holographic UAV Communications
C. K. Sheemar, A. Mahmood, C. K. Thomas, G. C. Alexandropoulos, Jorge Querol, S. Chatzinotas, W. Saad · IEEE Transactions on Communications
2026 · IEEE VTMHolographic MIMO for Next-Generation Nonterrestrial Networks: Motivation, Opportunities, and Challenges
G. Iacovelli, C. K. Sheemar, W. U. Khan, A. Mahmood, G. C. Alexandropoulos, Jorge Querol, S. Chatzinotas · IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine
2025 · Proceedings of the IEEEA Vision, Survey, and Roadmap Toward Space Communications in the 6G and Beyond Era
K. Ntontin, E. Lagunas, Jorge Querol, J. ur Rehman, J. Grotz, S. Chatzinotas, B. Ottersten · Proceedings of the IEEE
2025 · IEEE OJCOMS5G-NR Over Transparent Payload GEO Satellites: A Hands-On Approach Using OpenAirInterface5G-NTN
S. Kumar, J. Krivochiza, T. Yilmaz, Jorge Querol, S. Chatzinotas, S. Andrenacci, J. Grotz · IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society
Complete portfolio of 180+ scientific publications (including latest 2025 and 2026 releases). Browse the Full Publications Archive, ORBiLu Repository, and Google Scholar.
Leadership and Entrepreneurship
Spin-Off Co-Founder & Independent Consultant
- Co-Founder & Technical Advisor: MITIC Solutions S.L. (UPC-BarcelonaTech Spin-off for GNSS anti-jamming & security).
- Independent Technical Consultant: Advisory in 6G NTN, satellite communications, and RF security (Consulting Services →).
Strategic Committees & Space Forums
- Delegate: European Space Agency (ESA) Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) Forum.
- Vice-Chair: SnT Space Strategic Research Area (SRA), University of Luxembourg.
- Advisory Board Member: Master in Space, Technology and Business (MSTB), University of Luxembourg.
General Chair & Technical Program Committees
- General Chair: MOMBSAT 2025 Workshop @ EUSIPCO 2025 (Multi-Orbit, Multi-Band Satellite Communications).
- TPC Member: IEEE ICASSP, IEEE IGARSS, IEEE PIMRC, IEEE Globecom, IEEE WCNC.
International Grant Reviewer
- External Grant Evaluator: F.R.S.–FNRS (Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research) & VLAIO (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship).
- Journal Reviewer: IEEE JSAC, IEEE TWC, IEEE TCOMM, IEEE TVT, IEEE TGRS, IEEE JSTARS.
Contact and Connect
Research, Consulting & Media Inquiries
SnT – Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust · University of Luxembourg · 29 Avenue J.F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg
- ✉️ Personal / Advisory: [email protected]
- 🏛️ University / SnT: [email protected]
- 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jorgequerol
- 🚀 Consulting: Independent Technical Advisory Services →
Research Group & Digital Identifiers
Explore experimental testbeds, open-access repositories, and verified citation indices across academic platforms:
- 🛰️ 6GSPACE Lab: 6gspacelab.uni.lu
- 📡 SIGCOM Group: uni.lu/snt/sigcom · UniLu Staff Page
- 📊 Citation Databases: Google Scholar · ORCID · ResearchGate
- 🔓 Open Repositories: ORBiLu Repository · GitHub