ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8464
Open Date: 30/11/2015
Closing Date: 25/01/2016

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 15.197.10
Prog. Ref.: General Studies
Budget Ref.: E/0600-00 – General Studies
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU+CA
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Technical & Quality Manag
Department: System, Software & Technology Department
Division: Future Prep. & Strategic Studies Off.
Contract Officer: Casini, Gian Lorenzo
Last Update Date: 30/11/2015
Update Reason: Tender issue

Nowadays HAPS technology has progressed enough to make such platforms good candidates to be included as part of future telecommunication systems and, potentially, for other applications such as remote sensing. In the case of satcoms, they may enable, augment, orimprove the services offered by satellite. This activity aims at defining the role of HAPS in satellite networks while providing anend to end system perspective, including the inclusion of HAPS into a layered telecommunication network together with satellites inLEO, MEO and/or GEO. This activity addresses the communication technical aspects, including different use cases, and it will also analyse the suitability of different platforms for different scenarios, their capabilities (e.g. service ceiling, endurance, flight envelope) and constraints (e.g. maximum take-off weight, payload accommodation constraints, power constraints). Another important element this activity will look at is the regulatory framework governing the HAPS manufacturing and operations (e.g. platform certification, flight permits, Â air traffic control, command and control, spectrum access and licensing) provided the big impact this aspectshave for the provisioning of a commercial service. From a system perspective the activity will analyse the network topologies, payloadconcepts & architectures, and it will pay special attention to the impact to the user segment and the ground infrastructure required to support the service. Finally the activity will establish the industrial landscape in Europe and will assess the competitivepositioning of European industry with respect to external players. With the analysis of all these different facets the activity will conclude by providing a gap analysis and the corresponding roadmap. Synergies with other space applications, such as the embarkation ofEarth observation instruments covering research or operational needs will also be assessed.

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