ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9281
Open Date: 10/12/2018
Closing Date: 13/03/2019 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 18.1TT.36
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) / “Communication – BB (Antennas excluded)” / Analog: Power amplifiers (SSPA, TWTA, ¿)
Techology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / RF Technologies and Equipment / RF Equipment
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Technologies and Products Division
Contract Officer: Rinaudo, Nicole
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 10/12/2018
Update Reason: Tender issue

Objective:The objective of the activity is to develop a Ka-band solid state amplifier (SSPA) architecture suitable for high volumeapplications and all types of emerging Ka-band payloads.Targeted Improvements:Modular SSPA concept that allows the maximum re-useof European building blocks; Spin-in of common building blocks covering the Ka-band SSPA market for future constellations and emerging nanosatellite needs.Description:Requirements for Ka-band payloads are wide ranging due to a variety of potential satellite applications and their associated needs. These include, for example, cube sats, mega constellations, active antennae, in-orbit dynamic capacity allocation, large numbers of beams, variable beams shapes and sizes and accurate beam pointing. Given the small satellite market of few billion dollars, it is becoming increasingly difficult for equipment manufacturers to provide low cost solutions that are able to address these wide range payload requirements. Satellite equipment manufacturers, including solid-state power amplifier (SSPA) manufacturers, have little experience of low cost manufacturing given the niche nature of the satellite market.This activity aims to identify the architecture commonalities and functional requirements of the different Ka-band SSPA applications and to develop and demonstrate a new SSPA architecture that is able to address all requirements to the maximum extent possible. Terrestrial technology and processes shall be reviewed and evaluated for space application to create common building blocks for high volume production. Emphasis shall be placed on the use of European technology building blocks and a design that is free of export restrictions. The targeted power range is in the order of 5W-10W average RF power in multicarrier operation @ 15dBc NPR with Power Added Efficiency (PAE) in the range of 25% to 35%, together with the possibility of scaling to higher powers.A scaled engineering model of a Ka-band SSPA for high volume production shall be design, manufactured and tested to validate the developed concept and to evaluate its application to at least two use cases.

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