ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8503
Open Date: 24/05/2016
Closing Date: 05/07/2016 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 15.112.19
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
Products: Global Navigation Satellite Systems
Technology Domains: Navigation
Establishment: ESOC
Department: Ground Systems Engineering Department
Division: Navigation Support Office
Contract Officer: Hurtz, Anne Maria
Industrial Policy Measure: C1 – Activities in open competition limited to the non-Larg…
Last Update Date: 25/05/2016
Update Reason: Summary updated

Currently two Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are fully operational. These two systems are the US GPS and the Russian GLONASS. However, the number of available GNSS in 2020 will grow up to four operational systems and the number of available GNSS satellites will be over 120 for potential users. Each GNSS will have at least three civil frequencies and more than two types of new GNSS signals (e.g. BOC, AltBOC). The complexity for processing of GNSS signals will increase substantially and the aspect of interoperability will gain on importance for all GNSS users. In particular the space users will experience significant changes in the near future. At the time being, the operational and also those systems that are currently under development are supporting the use of GNSS for Low Earth Orbits (LEO) only. However, in 2012 the US decided to extend the GPS support for space users from LEO only to space missions into GTO, MEO, GEO and HEOs. For this reason, the US introduced for their GPS III next generation satellites a set of requirements to support the so called GNSS Space Service Volume (SSV) extension. Due to the fact that such a SSV extension is quite difficult to achieve for only one system stand alone, the US started to lobbing within the activities of the International Committee on GNSS (ICG) all other GNSS service providers to take up also requirements in order to support the GNSS SSV extension in their next generation of satellites. In 2014 all GNSS service providers confirmed their commitment to support this initiative in general. The GNSS SSV extension will change the entire approach for Precise Orbit Determination (POD) concepts related to LEO, MEO, GTO, GEO and HEO satellite missions. The amount of GNSS observations that can be used for POD will increase by a factor of around 15 per epoch per tracked satellite. The study is supposed to provide a wide-spread analysis not only limited to POD concepts, but also investigating the impact of the SSV extension on operational concepts for space users, GNSS software design, and ground operations. The study shall identify drivers for potential new POD concepts, for new operational concepts, for potential changes of on-board technology and ground segment operations. C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news (dated 05/02/2001) „Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and R&D entities in ESA programmes”.

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