Nordic Semiconductor Launches nRF9151 Software and Development Kit Combining Satellite and Cellular IoT Connectivity

­Nordic Semiconductor, a global leader in low-power wireless connectivity solutions, today announces the launch of the nRF9151 SMA Development Kit (DK), a specialized DK for RF engineers developing cellular IoT, DECT NR+, and Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) applications. Alongside the hardware release, Nordic has launched new modem firmware that adds NTN (satellite) support to the nRF9151 module – marking Nordic’s first step toward enabling direct-to-satellite communication.

Optimized for challenging environments

The nRF9151 SMA DK is designed for demanding RF evaluation. It replaces internal antennas with SMA connectors, allowing engineers to directly connect high-performance external antennas or lab equipment for precise characterization. This makes it the recommended platform for developing and evaluating cutting-edge cellular IoT, DECT NR+, and NTN designs where optimized RF performance is critical. Typical use cases are applications in remote locations with weak cellular signals, smart buildings with dense node counts, or industrial environments subject to RF shadowing.

New firmware adds NTN support for direct-to-satellite IoT

The new modem firmware enables direct-to-satellite IoT communication by adding support for NB-IoT NTN (3GPP rel 17). The firmware also supports terrestrial LTE-M and NB-IoT networks, as well as GNSS, making it a comprehensive solution for the development and evaluation of hybrid connectivity solutions.

“As engineers push the boundaries of wireless connectivity with satellite IoT and DECT NR+, they need development tools that offer flexible and precise RF performance,” says Kristian Sæther, Senior Product Director Long-Range at Nordic Semiconductor. “The nRF9151 SMA DK provides exactly that, giving RF experts the granular control needed to validate their most ambitious designs, especially for the challenging RF environment of direct-to-satellite communication.”

Designed for RF precision and flexibility

The nRF9151 SMA DK provides maximum RF flexibility with SMA connectors for external antennas and direct connection to lab equipment, enabling precise performance validation and accurate power measurements. It is also optimized for the latest standards, offering an ideal platform for DECT NR+ and NTN development to ensure the best possible link performance for advanced projects.

Complete toolkit for rapid prototyping

The DK includes everything needed to prototype immediately, including high-performance Taoglas (LTE/NTN/NR+) and Kyocera (GNSS) antennas, along with IoT SIM cards and trial data for instant terrestrial and satellite connectivity from Deutsche Telekom, Onomondo, and Monogoto.

The nRF9151 SMA DK is fully supported by Nordic’s unified and scalable nRF Connect SDK, offering a complete development environment for any application.

Available now

The nRF9151 SMA DK is available now through Nordic’s distribution partners.