ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEO PLATFORMS COMPLIANT WITH SPACE DEBRIS MITIGATION (SDM) REQUIREMENTS
27, November 2017

ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9149
Open Date: 24/11/2017
Closing Date: 02/02/2018 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 17.138.05
Prog. Ref.: GSTP Element 1 Dev
Budget Ref.: E/0904-611 – GSTP Element 1 Dev
Special Prov.: FR
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Non Space Procurement/Services
Techology Domains: System Design & Verification / System Analysis and Design / Multidisciplinary Analysis
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: System, Software & Technology Department
Division: Systems and Cost Engineering Division
Contract Officer: Casini, Gian Lorenzo
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 24/11/2017
Update Reason: Tender issue

The introduction of Space Debris Mitigation (SDM) requirements by a growingnumber of countries and agencies has a significant impact at system and subsystemlevel on LEO platforms. The European Systems Integrators consider it the most impacting aspect for future missions and high priority for the evolution of the current platforms, both for the institutional and commercial markets. The casualty risk requirement states that during atmospheric reentry, the risk of causing a casualty onEarth must be less than 10-4. This risk is driven by the on-ground footprint of reentering objects, and is particularly demanding for medium and large LEOsatellites. Depending on the payload, mission and system design, either an uncontrolled reentry can be performed or a controlled reentry is required. Both havevery different implications at system level. An uncontrolled reentry can take up to 25years, and requires the satellite to demise during reentry as well as to passivate power and propulsion systems. Controlled re-entry performed when compliance with the casualty risk is not possible through uncontrolled reentry – requires efficient propulsion means to perform the required maneuvers.The CleanSat approach aims at supporting the compliance with these new requirements by taking a coordinated approach to new technology development.The involvement of integrators and suppliers guarantees on the one hand that the suppliers receive adequate requirements to develop innovative technologies compatible with several platforms, making them more competitive, and on the otherhand that the integrators can integrate in a fast and more effective way these technologies in their future platforms, becoming themselves more competitive in the international market. This coordinated approach has been used in early phases of CleanSat with great success.This activity aims at continuing the coordinated effort to support the European industry complying with these new requirements by evolving LEO platforms both for uncontrolled and controlled reentry. This will be achieved through an active participation of the System Integrators on the definition of the requirements, system level analyses and trade-offs to support the various building block developments. At the same time, promoting their smooth integration in future missions in LEO.

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