ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8975
Open Date: 05/05/2017
Closing Date: 21/07/2017 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 17.1TT.71
Prog. Ref.: CC for Advanced Tech
Budget Ref.: E/0505-01C – CC for Advanced Tech
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+CA
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Transmitters / X-band, S-Band, Ka band, ¿ / Near Earth application, Deep space application, … / Platform vs Payload
Techology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / RF Technologies and Equipment / RF Equipment / RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / RF Technologies and Equipment / RF Devices / Electromagnetic Technologies and Techniques / Wave Interaction and Propagation / Wave Propagation
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Technologies and Product Division
Contract Officer: Dorval, Nathalie
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 05/05/2017
Update Reason: Tender issue

Objective: Perform channel measurements at Wbands by means of a beacon designed, developed and launched on a Cubesat platform.Targeted Improvements: Augment ITU-R models for W-band with specific measurements such as i) Tropospheric scintillation at W-band including spectral properties dependence on elevation angles, ii)combination of cloud and attenuation effects, iii) frequency scalingof rain attenuation, iv) depolarization due to ice (fast XPD without concurrent attenuation).Description: For large broadband satellite networks, the number of gateways may be such that the cost of the ground segment exceeds the cost of the satellite, even whenusing Q/V band in the gateway feeder link. The use of W-band as a feeder link frequency band in future HTS system could significantlyreduce the cost of the ground segment.The usage of the spectrum available in W-band (70/80 GHz) for satellite communications will significantly reduce the number of gateways and consequently the overall cost of the ground segment. However, the channel models available from ITU are known to be accurate only until 30~40 GHz. Therefore new measurement campaigns are needed to characterize the channel propagation at W-band.In this activity a Cubesat shall be used to embark a beacon in W-band in order to perform channel measurement experimentation. The LEO orbit of the Cubesat, although different from thegeostationary orbit of future operational satellites exploiting W-band, will allow to characterize fairly well all the major satellite channel impairments. In addition, supporting tools will beused to cope with the short contact times available for the measurements. In particular, an atmospheric channel simulator will be used to bridge the gap between the relatively short LEOmeasurements and the statistical reliability needed for GEO propagation measurements. The collected Cubesat channel measurements will be used to tune the atmospheric channelsimulator. Satellite movement effects will be de-convolved from measurements in order to extrapolate the equivalent GEO propagation channel.The activity shall design and develop the W-band beacon together with the propagation terminal and the Cubesat platform that will host the beacon. Second, the beacon will be tested,integrated in the platform launched using the first flying opportunity. A measurement campaign ofat least two years duration shall follow.

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