ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-11325
Open Date: 12/04/2022 15:10 CEST
Closing Date: 24/05/2022 13:00 CEST

Microwave radiometer calibration routine onboard a satellite is today based on the measurement of external well known reference targets such as cold sky and onboard blackbody target. However, external calibration implies complex moving mechanics and long calibration cycles which are non-optimum from system performance perspective and therefore degrade instrument performance. Considerable improvements are foreseen by complementing or replacing the mechanically switched quasi-optical external calibration systems by internal calibration sub-systems (ICSS) based on electrically switched active semiconductor devices. ESA has already run several successful technology developments at frequencies between 10 GHz and 89 GHz. As a result of these developments, the ICSS concept has already been adopted for low-frequency MetOp-SG MWI channels (18 to 36 GHz) and is now also a baseline in CIMR. In CIMR a dedicated ICSS front-end is being developed for several channels up to 36 GHz. Current developments (E/E104-E5) addresses the prototyping of ICSS for frequencies from 89 to 183 which is based on already existing demonstrations and is pushing the technology to limit. When extending the ICSS concept towards 200 GHz and above, there are limitations in the current technologies. Active cold loads and noise diodes are not perfectly feasible much above 100 GHz. Therefore, new types of active noise sources have to be developed for those frequencies. A promising approach is a hot load based on a transistor amplifier, the concept of which is being developed around 200 GHz for test instrumentation purposes (T706-186ET) but is not sufficiently high in Excess Noise Ratio to be applicable as a hot calibration load. Noise sources needed in future ICSS of EO instruments, specifically in sounders and imagers at 200 – 600 GHz, need to be developed and demonstrated. The noise sources will be based on novel European SiGe and/or GaAs MMIC technologies. This activity encompasses the following tasks:- Noise source requirements definition from system level- Technology assessment- Preliminary to Critical design- Manufacturing and characterisation.Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to this link.

Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. Quality
Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Authorised Contact Person: Maxime Nicolas Gislain Guy
Initiating Service: TEC-EFE
IP Measure: C1
Prog. Reference: E/0901-01 – Technology Developme
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: AT+BE+CH+CZ+DE+DK+EE+EL+ES+FI+FR+GB+HU+IE+IT+LU+NL+NO+PL+PT+RO+SE
Technology Keywords: 6-D-III-EO Instruments
Products Keywords: 2-I-1-c-Microwave radiometers