ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8565
Open Date: 04/02/2016
Closing Date: 14/04/2016

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 16.1TT.64
Prog. Ref.: ARTES 5 Sub-El. 5.1
Budget Ref.: E/0505-01B – ARTES 5 Sub-El. 5.1
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+LU+CZ+RO+CA
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Technologies and Product Division
Contract Officer: Dorval, Nathalie
Last Update Date: 04/02/2016
Update Reason: Tender issue

Perform channel measurements at W–bands by means of a beacon designed, developed and launched on a Cubesat platform. Targeted Improvements: Augment ITU-R models for W-band with specific measurements such as i) Tropospheric scintillation at W-band including spectral properties & dependence on elevation angles, ii) combination of cloud and attenuation effects, iii) frequency scaling of rain attenuation, iv) depolarization due to ice (fast XPD without concurrent attenuation). Description: For large broadband satellite networks, the number of gateways may be such that the cost of the ground segment exceeds the cost of the satellite, even when using Q/V band in the gateway feeder link. The use of W-band as a feeder link frequency band in future HTS system could significantly reduce the cost of the ground segment. The usage of the spectrum available in W-band (70/80 GHz) for satellite communications will significantly reduce the number of gateways and consequently the overall cost of the ground segment. However, the channel models available from ITU are known to be accurate only until 30~40 GHz. Therefore new measurement campaigns are needed to characterize the channel propagation at W-band. In this activity a Cubesat shall be used to embark a beacon in W-band in order to perform channel measurement experimentation.

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