ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9975
Open Date: 24/01/2020
Closing Date: 06/03/2020 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 19.1ET.28
Prog. Ref.: GSTP Element 1 Dev
Budget Ref.: E/0904-611 – GSTP Element 1 Dev
Special Prov.: DE+GB
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Transmitters / X-band, S-Band, Ka band, ¿ / Near Earth application, Deep space application, … / Platform vs Payload / Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Antennas – BB / Feeds
Technology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Telecommunication Systems/Subsystems / Telecom Equipment / RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / RF Technologies and Equipment / RF Equipment
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: Electrical Department
Division: RF Payloads & Technology Division
Contract Officer: Karl, Heinz-Uwe
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 24/01/2020
Update Reason: Tender issue

High power filters are key elements at the payload output section to filter signals previously amplified. The ohmic losses of the materials contribute to increase the temperature in the device. Thermal issues related with these losses in high power operation dictate the complexity of the design, which, in turn, impacts the overall mass. Classical materials are aluminium in configurations withthermal compensation mechanisms and INVAR for medium/high power. INVAR has a low thermal expansion coefficient but it has very high density and low thermal conductivity. This leads to bulky solutions. Aluminium has lower density and higher thermal conductivitythanINVAR but it presents a very high thermal expansion coefficient. This high thermal expansion dictated the need for temperature compensation mechanisms to achieve the required frequency stability for high power levels. These compensation mechanisms introduce an added risk/complexity that is preventing the commercial widespread of these solutions. Novel materials, like those based on metal-matrix composites or advanced alloys, offer the possibility to overcome current limitations and eliminate the need for complex temperature compensation mechanisms while also exhibiting mass reductions up to 30% in comparison to INVAR designs. In this activity, two strategies will be investigated, one based on using the novel material locally as an insert in the complete structure, and another one based on using the novel material as the material for the complete structure.