ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-10504
Open Date: 02/08/2021 16:00 CEST
Closing Date: 25/10/2021 13:00 CEST

The objective of the activity is to demonstrate minimum viable 5G satcom solutions for Industry 4.0 use cases. To deliver such solutions, the activity will develop system demonstrators that will validate 5G satcom solutions in realistic operational conditions using over-the-air field trials. Targeted Improvements: Enabling the adoption of satcoms by Industry 4.0 verticals. Description: The prospect of 5G satcom for Industry 4.0 is far-reaching. 5G and in particular 5G satcom is an important means for meeting Industry 4.0 connectivity requirements in terms of coverage, availability, flexibility, versatility, usability, security and efficiency. However,capitalising on this new opportunity will require satcom stakeholders to overcome a number of challenges. Amongst the toughest are:demonstrating the technical validity of 5G satcom solutions under specific operational environments while fulfilling industries’ performance requirements, and understanding how to cost effectively integrate new 5G satcom services in the operations of these industries.Building and launching 5G satcom infrastructure and services involves complex, time consuming and costly transformational projects at every level of the satcom systems. This requires significant upfront investments that the satcom sector struggles to sustain. In addition, Industry 4.0 cannot verify their 5G use cases over satellite. The main reasons are the shortage of experimental 5Gsatcom facilities and the fragmentation of several industrial sectors at national and regional level. These facts hinder the use ofsatcom in Industry 4.0 increasing the risk for satellite of missing a unique opportunity. To address these issues, this activity will develop, validate and demonstrate minimum viable 5G satcom solutions for Industry 4.0 use cases. It will consolidate Industry 4.0 requirements that will translate into the technical specifications of system demonstrators. Demonstrations will use existing spacesegment. The developments will leverage on leading industrial solutions and open source technologies whenever possible, to support diverse requirements for industrial use cases, with guaranteed QoS and other connectivity enablers as required. These will cover adaptations and enhancements of 5G edge nodes, 5G user equipment and network implementations to integrate satellite. The resulting systems will be validated and demonstrated using over-the-air field trials allowing the concerned 4.0 industries to verify the performance of 5G satellite communications in the realistic operational conditions of their use cases. This will support the 5G aspiration of shifting the model from „network infrastructure as an asset” to „network as a service” and thus enabling synergies between public and non-public (private) 5G satcom networks. The activity will take stock of all on going 5G satellite developments and propose convincing demonstrations. The activity will seek synergies with the ARTES deliverables and testbeds as well as by various 5G platforms projects from the European Commission that are already being built-up.

Directorate:Directorate Telecom Integrated Applica
Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Authorised Contact Person: Adriana Lucas
Initiating Service: TIA-TFA
IP Measure: N/A
Prog. Reference: E/0534-03A – 5G-Other Act. Prod&T
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: AT+CA+CH+CZ+DE+DK+EL+ES+FI+GB+HU+IE+IT+LU+NO+PT+RO+SE
Technology Keywords: 6-A-III-Networking Techniques
Products Keywords: 4-B-5-Ground Station Monitoring & Control