ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8751
Open Date: 21/12/2016
Closing Date: 15/02/2017 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 16.197.09
Prog. Ref.: General Studies
Budget Ref.: E/0600-00 – General Studies
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU+CA
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / On-board Data Management / On Board Data Management / Telemetry and Telecommand Units / Ground Segment / Ground Station / Baseband equipment / Telemetry and Telecommand equipment, Tracking, Ranging and Doppler measurement equipment, CODECS, …
Techology Domains: Others
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Technical & Quality Manag
Department: System, Software & Technology Department
Division: Future Prep. & Strategic Studies Off.
Contract Officer: Erkelens-Sickinger, Franziska
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 21/12/2016
Update Reason: Tender issue

Current security architectures employed on most missions rely on a relatively simplecommunications topology (extended space link),consisting of a single spacecraft, multiple ground stations, and a ground segment consisting of a command control centre and a Payload Data Ground Segment (PDGS), and associated communication security mechanism mainly at thedata link layer. Anti-jamming modulation has been researched for enhanced security.Based on that ground/space architecture, a number of security countermeasures like the CCSDS Space Data Link Security protocol have been, and continue to be defined and developed for the benefit of the current and future missions. However, future space missions are anticipated to have a topology consisting of multiple satellites, possibly networked, with evolved application concepts and communication protocols. The simple security architecture previously developed and the corresponding portfolio of security mechanisms may not hold up to the security requirements of these more complex mission topologieswith more sophisticated and evolved protocols. Those mechanisms may not be amenable to evolution to satisfy these new needs.Furthermore, security research continues, attacks evolve, countermeasures and protections become obsolete or stronger and new security countermeasures are required for existing and new applications. In particular enhanced protection for adaptive communication links andsoftware-based processors at nodes performing radio, link, network and security functions are critical. The potential of novel security concepts like physical layer security, homomorphic encryption to respond to some of those requirements need to be investigated.Therefore, the aim of the study is to assess possible security technology candidates and their suitability vis-a-vis realistic future mission architectures.

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