ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-10805
Open Date: 30/06/2021 09:50 CEST
Closing Date: 15/10/2021 13:00 CEST

The HydRON Project is to develop and validate the “Fibre in the Sky” technology integrated in terrestrial networks at terabit-per-second capacity, demonstrated by European and Canadian Industries by 2025-2026 timeframe. The possibility of a transparent optical payload (i.e., all-optical payload), without the need of on-board optical / electrical conversion nor on-board electrical demodulation/ modulation and in combination with on-board transparent optical switching, could enable the implementation of a truly transparent Optical Transport Network in space. However, such approach imposes very demanding requirements on the optical signal quality (as it is not regenerated on-board). Alternatively, electrical transceivers and electrical switches based on next generation digital electronics (e.g., FPGA technology) are being implemented in terrestrial fibre networks operating at very high data rates (e.g., >400 Gbit/sec), requiring acceptable power consumption resources and at affordable costs. This study shall investigate and define the system and sub-system performance requirements for the next generation on-board digital electrical processing (modem, codec, circuit / label/ packet switching) for different communication scenarios of relevance to HydRON (e.g., LEO, GEO), and it shall establish a development roadmap of the critical enabling technologies for future high throughput optical satellite systems. Critical performances, functionalities and electrical design options shall be verified by means of a laboratory breadboard(s).

Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Contracts Officer: Audrey Ferreol
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-D-II-Telecommunication Payloads
Products Keywords: 2-L-2/3/4.1-l-Digital: Filters and Multiplexers