ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-10503
Open Date: 01/09/2021 15:44 CEST
Closing Date: 17/11/2021 13:00 CEST

The objective of the activity is to identify the necessary system modifications to enable 5G satellite connectivity in commercial off-the-shelf smartphones using 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Network technology. Targeted Improvements:Enabling 5G direct access from satellite to conventional mobile phones. Description: Today, satellite networks for mobile services require the use of specific terminals.However, recent work is paving the way for direct-to-handheld satellite communications compatible with user devices similar to conventional mobile phones. This includes, in particular, the definition of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) in 5G New Radio (NR), now being standardised at 3GPP. From a satellite perspective, the ultimate goal is to be able to address the general population of terrestrial terminals. Nonetheless, this massive adoption will likely happen only if the integration of satcom does not affect (to the extent possible) the user equipment, in particular its bill of materials. This activity will therefore identify the necessary adaptationsacross the system to enable 5G satellite connectivity in commercial off-the-shelf smartphones using the 3GPP NR NTN protocol. A keygoal of the activity is to achieve this while minimising the impact to the terminal’s bill of materials. In other words, the activity will aim at adaptations that do not require adding specialised hardware to the terminal, but may rather be implemented in coming iterations of its components. To this end, the activity will consider different frequency bands especially those below 6GHz, severalsatellite scenarios (typically GEO/LEO), different 5G network implementations, and will take as baseline existing hardware of currently available mobile phones. The activity will first establish the most favourable scenarios to achieve this objective and then it will identify the necessary adaptations. Finally, a development and implementation roadmap will be produced aiming at a subsequent over-the-air demonstration.

Directorate: Directorate Telecom Integrated Applica
Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Authorised Contact Person: Nathalie Dorval
Initiating Service: TIA-TTG
IP Measure: N/A
Prog. Reference: E/0534-03A – 5G-Other Act. Prod&T
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: AT+CA+CH+DE+DK+EL+ES+FI+GB+HU+IE+IT+LU+NO+PT+RO+SE
Technology Keywords: 6-A-II-Telecom Signal Processing / 6-A-IV-Telecom Equipment
Products Keywords: 4-B-3-a-Telemetry and Telecommand equipment, Tracking, Ranging and Doppler measurement equipment, CODECS