ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9498
Open Date: 10/12/2018
Closing Date: 06/02/2019 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 18.1TF.16
Prog. Ref.: Future Preparation 7
Budget Ref.: E/0501-01C – Future Preparation 7
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+CA
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / System Engineering Software / System Modelling & Simulation / Dedicated simulation tools (on-board computer emulators, front-end equipment simulation, …) / Satellites & Probes / System Engineering Software / System Modelling & Simulation / Other
Techology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Telecommunication Systems/Subsystems / Telecom System Engineering Tools / RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Telecommunication Systems/Subsystems / Telecom Security Techniques and Technologies
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Future Projects Division
Contract Officer: Mezzadri, Monica
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 10/12/2018
Update Reason: Tender issue

The term Open Source is derived from a practice in software development consisting in publishing the source code of an application ”openly” to a community, for social or economic reasons that can be specific to each project. It is today having a broader meaningand encompasses the action of voluntarily making public part or all of a development (SW, HW, protocols, etc.), with the view to gainbenefits from the community that may gather around it. Open Source strategies are being used, and supported extensively by the Software industry. The Linux kernel, maybe the most iconic open source project, is maintained in majority by private companies including major players such as Intel, Samsung, IBM, Google, Facebook, Oracle, etc. In the ICT world, open source strategies have also been extensively used in various areas including IT (most servers are Linux-based), user device developments (e.g. Android) or within operators core networks (OpenStack, ONAP, Open AIR, OPNFV, etc.). Many open source implementations of 3GPP standards, including LTE, are also available. Claimed benefits encompass savings on development, project time reduction, as well as access to expertise in areasthat might be outside the companys core business. Although actors in the Satcom domain are already users of some of the software mentioned above, Satcom-originated open source projects are somehow less numerous. That being said, some initiatives have also arisen in the Satcom community, encouraged among others by the recent democratisation of Software Defined Radios, as well as standardisedCubeSat platforms. The objective is thus to identify and provide support to current projects that could be applied to the Satcom sector, as well as identify new areas for further investigation. To perform this, an initial analysis shall be carried out to determine whether and how open source models could appropriately benefit the different sectors of the Satcom industry, and establish an inventory of the currently existing initiatives. Such analysis shall in particular look into:- different open source models inspired from existing projects, and provide an understanding of their benefits, triggers, and conditions for success; – different sectors of the Satcom industrial value chain: space and ground segment hardware and software developments, tools and test beds for RD purposes,downstream applications. Recommendations on best strategies to apply for each sector, and identification of projects that could besupported shall be derived. A selection of relevant projects shall then be made, and the recommended actions to support them shall be carried out within the activity. Upon success of the supported initiatives, it is expected that these initial steps shall lead tofurther support of the Agency via the development of subsequent ARTES activities.

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