ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8794
Open Date: 16/09/2016
Closing Date: 29/03/2017 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 16.1TT.01
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
Technology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Telecommunication Systems/Subsystems / Networking Techniques
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies, Product& Systems Department
Division: Future Projects Division
Contract Officer: Sterzl, Ulrich
Industrial Policy Measure: C1 – Activities in open competition limited to the non-Larg
Last Update Date: 16/09/2016
Update Reason: Tender issue

Objective: To design and build a large-scale real-time live 5G integrated satellite-terrestrial network Proof-of-Concept that enables the satellite terrestrial convergence into the 5G context. Also to: provide reference implementation for Software Defined Network (SDN) and Virtualized Network Functions (VNF) technology enablers in a representative satellite network operational environment covering high bandwidth video and narrow band M2M services; enable virtual satellite networks operation in the 5G environment; assess end-to-end integrated system performance and provide coherent integrated network management. Targeted Improvements:  Lower cost per satellite service and make satellite networks more cost efficient and accessible for numerous service providers and customers; CAPEX reduction to more than 50% , OPEX reduction to more than 20% respect to current status of art (percentages extrapolated from terrestrial implementations); Satellite service creation reduction to 40 min instead of 90 hours which is the current status if all customised H/W devices are deployed; Cross sectorial use of the same satellite network infrastructure (i.e. high bandwidth video and narrowband M2M services with different Quality of Service (QoS) and dynamic Service Level Agreements (SLA)).Description: The5th generation of mobile communications technology (5G) is positioned to address the demands and business contexts of 2020 and beyond,. To materialize the vision, 5G needs to support and exploit the integration of heterogeneous networks such as terrestrial and satellite. The main vehicle for providing customized 5G network infrastructures for specific applications and services is the cloud computing technology extended to include the network infrastructure (cloud networking). The most promising architecture and implementation comes from Software Defined Networking (SDN) where networks can be dynamically programmed through centralized control points and from Network Function Virtualization (NFV) enabling the cost-efficient deployment and runtime of network functions as software only. Through this the specific services can be highly customized, enabling the seamless integration of different heterogeneous networks such as satellite networks. In an integrated 5G ecosystem, satellite networks are providing a highly dependable and global coverage type of communication. Satellite is well positioned to target high data rate broadcast/multicast services, M2Mnarrowband services, congestion offload of terrestrial networks (i.e., for signalling and/or video) as well as highly distributed and customized enterprise networks (i.e. critical infrastructures, dedicated M2M, industrial communication).The advent of different satellite networks based on GSO/NGSO satellites and constellations as well as new technologies used in High Throughput Satellites (HTS) facilitate the emergence of new players i.e. Satellite Virtual Network Operators and Service Providers, in the launch of satellite services market and allow the satellite industry to improve its value proposition in the 5G ecosystem. These developments are opening up and expanding market opportunities particularly in M2M/IoT, edge networking (for low latency localized communication and reduced backhaul data traffic), dynamic backhaul, and IP multimedia distribution, which are seeing explosive demand on the back of high growth rates in 4G.The role of satellite needs to be practically demonstrated, especially in the area of comprehensive network integration with 5G terrestrial networks, including integration at physical and virtualized infrastructure levels, as well as for providing a coherent end-to-end runtime environment for highly distributed applications. Currently, satellite networks are missed within the 5G large-scale experiments. Its core relevance needs to be addressed, especially because of the need to scale highly customized network infrastructures for the different services with different delay, Quality of Service (QoS), Service Level Agreements (SLA), security and reliability requirements through a common integrated multi-tenant infrastructure. The activity proposes to build a large-scale real-time live end-to-end 5G integrated satellite terrestrial network Proof-of-Concept that enables the satellite terrestrial convergence into the5G context. It shall include the infrastructure test-bed considering both physical and network functions virtualisation in order to enable the establishment of the end-to-end virtual integrated satellite terrestrial network following the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) principle. A prototype of the integrated networks and services management and orchestration shall be implemented to provide coherent overall management. Generic functional enablers shall be implemented at both the gateway and remote terminals, such as IPmulticast, small messages aggregation and caching, addressing different communications domains i.e. video and M2M/IoT (Platform as a Service PaaS). These shall be executed transparently to the specific service under test. Finally, selected usage cases for IP-enabled video and M2M/IoT services shall be demonstrated over the air. Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news “Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and RD entities in ESA programmes”.

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