IMPACT OF STORAGE CONDITIONS AND AGING EFFECT ON RF BREAKDOWN AND ELECTRICAL PERFORMANCE IN FLIGHT HARDWARE (PTRP) – EXPRO PLUS
5, February 2016

ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8473
Open Date: 02/02/2016
Closing Date: 15/03/2016

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 15.1ET.12
Prog. Ref.: TRP
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – TRP
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Technical & Quality Manag
Department: Electrical Engineering Department
Division: RF Payload Systems Division
Contract Officer: Karl, Heinz-Uwe
Last Update Date: 02/02/2016
Update Reason: Tender issue

The activity shall investigate the change in SEY (Secondary Emission Yield) properties due to storage conditions prior integration in the satellite. This parameter has a direct impact in the power handling (Multipactor threshold) of the RF component. The activity shall cover the changes in the threshold over time at typical storage conditions. To achieve successful results, the activity shall commence with a review of the Hatch-Williams curves with new test samples. These samples shall be used for the whole duration of the activity to study the aging process. The activity shall investigate the impact in SEY (also electrical performances and RF breakdown) of the parameters such as humidity, temperature, contamination and pressure among others, the outcome could be used to accelerate the degradation process. The investigations shall also focus on possible techniques to mitigate or reverse the aging effect to be implemented before integration and launch (i.e. Tvac cycling, ambient baking,etc). In parallel, this activity shall also cover techniques aiming to measure and analyse SEY properties. This properties can be used in software prediction tools of RF breakdown. The study shall conclude with the necessary findings to complete a recommendation for storage of high power RF components prone to RF breakdown. Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news “Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and R&D entities in ESA programmes”.

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