ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-10945
Open Date: 20/07/2021 13:44 CEST
Closing Date: 20/09/2021 13:00 CEST

HydRON is a visionary concept for a high throughput space optical transport network to provide high capacity data transport service and flexible network services (by means of on-board routing) to space and ground assets. The seamless inter-operability of the optical space network with terrestrial systems is one of the key aspects of HydRON. The performance of HydRON targets at least 3 orders of magnitude larger capacity compared to what is available today (Terabit/sec in contrast to Gigabit/sec). The investigation of the HydRON vision (i.e., the full HydRON concept, not the Demonstration System) was initiated at the end of 2019 in the frame of two parallel contracts respectively awarded to consortia led by Airbus Defence and Space (Germany) and Thales Alenia space (Italy) respectively. These studies will be completed by 2nd Quarter 2021.HydRON is composed of: (i) the space segment (deployed in multiple orbits, e.g., GEO / MEO / LEO / HAPS), (ii) the ground segment (multiple networks of optical ground stations worldwide distributed) and(iii) the HydRON Control Center responsible for orchestrating all HydRON assets and ensuring inter-operability with high capacity terrestrial networks. The implementation of the full HydRON concept is considered beyond the scope of the ESA HydRON project, taking into account estimated financial envelope. The objective of the ESA HydRON project is to define, develop and validate a representative Demonstration System (HydRON-DS) reducing the complexity of a full system to key elements: validating a set of key technologies required to deploy the world first optical transport network in space (targeting e.g. data rates of 100Gigabit/sec, but scalable up Terabit/sec), defining the network architecture to ensure seamless inter-operability of the optical network in space with terrestrial systems, providing a minimum viable service / product (MVP) to ESA (and potentially non-ESA) users, in line with their user requirements (e.g., data rate, latency, QoS) at an affordable price.The subject of the present study is to carry out the Phase A/B1 actitvities of the HydRON Demonstration System (HydRON-DS). In particular the HydRON-DS Phase A/B1 study shall:1) Consolidate the mission requirements and establish the system requirements of the HydRON-DS, the technical/programmatic constraints as well as the overall mission constraints, taking into account MVP service requirements from ESA and non-ESA users. 2) Define a system architecture and a system design compliant with the HYDRON-DS MRD/SRD requirements, including its main constituents, namely the Space Segment, Ground Segment and User Segment, and the associated concept of operations up to a level of maturity equivalent to SRR (System Requirements Review).3) Demonstrate the technical and programmatic feasibility of the system concept and its requirements, architecture and design including the associated cost and schedule targets.4) Prepare all the necessary technical, schedule/management, development / deployment / implementation plans and cost characterisation documents required for the initiation of the follow-up industrial contract for the Phase B2/C/D/E.

Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Authorised Contact Person: Claudia Ria Piesche
Initiating Service: TIA-TIS
IP Measure: N/A
Prog. Reference: E/0533-17A – OP-Hydron
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: CA+CH+CZ+DE+GB+IT+PL+RO
Technology Keywords: 6-A-III-Networking Techniques / 6-D-II-Telecommunication Payloads / 16-A-I-Overall Optical System Definition, Design and Engineering
Products Keywords: 2-G-1-a-Optical terminals / 2-L-2/3/4.1-j-Digital: Frequency Synthesisers