ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-11080
Open Date: 22/12/2021 11:32 CEST
Closing Date: 25/02/2022 13:00 CEST

This activity comprises a system-level assessment of the optimal approach for implementing feeder links within future NGSO communications constellations: specifically comparing the potential benefits and challenges of implementing optical feeder link architectures with those of future RF solutions. The study will focus on the system-level topology, implementation, operations, and service-level impacts of such an approach, as opposed to the detailed design or technology developments used in the individual links. Whilst thechief motivation behind the activity is to study the implementation of an optical solution, the activity also needs to consider equivalent RF solutions to provide a valid benchmark against which to compare. A baseline set of solutions will therefore need to be defined considering current architectures (i.e., Ku and Ka-Bands) as well as future solutions (e.g., Q, V, and W-Bands). The outcomes should include a comparison of the development status of the various technologies required to realise each studied approach, comparetheir Capex and OpEx requirements, identify any consequent benefits or challenges to spacecraft design or ground station location, as well as quantify any difference in resulting system level performance, including reliability, availability, and maintainability impacts.

Directorate: Directorate Telecom Integrated Applica
Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Authorised Contact Person: Nathalie Dorval
Initiating Service: TIA-TFA
IP Measure: N/A
Prog. Reference: E/0501-01D – Future Prep 4.0.1
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: AT+BE+CA+CH+CZ+DE+DK+EE+EL+ES+FI+FR+GB+HU+IE+IT+LT+LU+NL+NO+PL+PT+RO+SE
Technology Keywords: 6-A-I-Telecom System Engineering Tools / 12-A-I-Advanced Ground Station Design Concepts