ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9844
Open Date: 24/07/2019
Closing Date: 27/09/2019 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 19.1TT.42
Prog. Ref.: CC for Advanced Tech
Budget Ref.: E/0505-01C – CC for Advanced Tech
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+CA+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / “Communication – BB (Antennas excluded)” / Other
Technology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / RF Technologies and Equipment / RF Devices
Establishment: ECSAT
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Technologies and Products Division
Contract Officer: Beardsell, Andrea
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 24/07/2019
Update Reason: Tender issue

The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test a compact in-orbit tuneable intermediate frequency (IF)filter withthe ability to tune the bandwidth of flexible frequency converters over a frequency range from 36 MHz to 500 MHz.Targeted Improvements:- Enabling in-orbit tuneable bandwidth flexibility for frequency converters;- Reduction of the complexity and mass of frequency converters for fully flexible payloads by 30%.Description: In order to address changing market demands during the satellite mission lifetime, satellite operators are interested in fully flexible payload architectures that offer in-orbit RF bandwidth, frequency and power reconfigurability. One way to obtain frequency and bandwidth flexibility is to implement flexible frequency converters having a tuneable centre frequency and bandwidth. Today’s approach for implementing bandwidth flexibility is to utilise switchable filter banks, or multiple frequency-agile conversion stages combinedwith fixed frequency filters. More compact and less complex flexible frequency converters could be realised by making use of tuneable lossy filters. These have been the subject of research in recent years and it has been confirmed that they can provide the desired flexibility, with the potential to reduce the mass and size of flexible frequency converters by up to 30%. In this activity, a reconfigurable IF filter with a bandwidth that can be tuned over a continuous range from 36 MHz to 500 MHz will be developed,manufactured and tested. Control electronic will be developed aspart of the activity to demonstrate the tuneability and RF performance.