ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9997
Open Date: 29/07/2019
Closing Date: 30/09/2019 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 19.1ET.31
Prog. Ref.: Technology Developme
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – Technology Developme
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 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 / Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Repeaters and Transceivers / Bent-pipe repeaters, regenarative transponders, … / Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Receivers / X-band, S-Band, Ka band, ¿ / Near Earth application, Deep space application, … / Platform vs Payload
Technology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Telecommunication Systems/Subsystems / Telecom Signal Processing / RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / TT&C and Payload Data Modulator (PDM) Systems/Subsystems / Deep-Space Transponders / RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / TT&C and Payload Data Modulator (PDM) Systems/Subsystems / Near-Earth Transponders / Ground Station Systems and Networks / Ground Station System / TT&C, Radar and Optical Signal & Data Processing
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: Electrical Department
Contract Officer: Erkelens-Sickinger, Franziska
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 29/07/2019
Update Reason: Tender issue

Current ranging technologies (e.g. ESA standard code ranging and PN ranging) rely on the transmission of a ranging signal that can be coupled only with a residual carrier (with low data rate) telemetry signal or, in the case of PN ranging, with a suppressed carrier using GMSK modulation, with bitrate limited by the PN ranging chiprate. In alternative, NASA has proposed a system based on telemetry ranging, and currently the corresponding recommendation (CCSDS 401, 2.4.24) is now out for agency approval. ESA has not yet studied this NASA led development, but the telemetry ranging approach could become interesting for future ESA satellite missions and for cross support. In particular, telemetry ranging allows to downlink the ranging information as part of the telemetry stream, therefore eliminating the need for separate sessions and simplifying significantly operations. Additionally, the approach is compatible with any telemetry modulation format and relies on latching the received ranging phase in the spacecraft, via the telemetry channel tothe downlink. The organisation of this activity is in two steps. First step is to perform an end-to-end system simulation, to analyse the performance of the telemetry ranging approach. Second step is to build up a hardware demonstrator (breadboard) to further analyse the system performance and identify possible problems with the suggested scheme and its implementation into operational hardware. Special importance is given to study the ranging accuracy in dependency of the data rate, and in presence of link adaption (i.e.,variable data rate). The output of the activity would allow ESA to better evaluate if the telemetry ranging approach is suitable for the needs of future ESA satellite missions and to analyse the potential cross support requests from NASA