ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10574
Open Date: 23/11/2020
Closing Date: 29/01/2021 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 20.154.24
Prog. Ref.: NAVISP Phase 2 E1
Budget Ref.: E/0365-40 – NAVISP Phase 2 E1
Special Prov.: BE+DK+DE+CH+GB+AT+NL+NO+FI+CZ+RO+FR+IT+GR+HU+SE
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Ground Segment / Ground Station / F&T equipment / Test equipment / Ground Segment / Ground Station / F&T equipment / GPS Receivers / Satellites & Probes / AOCS & GNC / Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) / Hybrid Navigation Units (IMU/GPS, ..) / Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Receivers / „Navigation Receivers *See AOCS & GNC – Single-frequency (Platform/Low-end missions) – Multiple-frequency (Science mission/hig-end missions)”
Technology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Radio Navigation Systems/Subsystems / Navigation System Tools / RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Radio Navigation Systems/Subsystems / Ground Receivers
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Navigation
Department: Strategy and Programme Department
Division: NAVISP Programme Office
Contract Officer: Pratesi, Giulia
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 23/11/2020
Update Reason: Tender issue

PNT assurance against malicious threats like spoofing relies on four main enablers: – authenticity of the information relating tothe nodes used for computing the position (e.g. clock and ephemeris data of GNSS satellites). It can be built and distributed in anetwork-assisted configuration, for instance by monitoring the PNT system or accessing directly the original information;- authenticity of the ranging signals, enabled by unpredictable signals. Such unpredictability is featured by encrypted GNSS signals but is also widely spread in telecom signals, such as signals of opportunity (SOOP), satcom signals from LEO, MEO, GEO, signals from cellular networks, airborne communications;- assurance of the User Equipment time offset to a reference system time, from receiver initialisation onwards. Besides being necessary to enable a-posteriori processing of information involved in the protection of ranging signal, this is also an efficient barrier against meaconing/replay;- integrity messages providing information about accuracy and availability of GNSS signals.Together, these capabilities can provide connected users with a comprehensive PNT assurance mechanism, highly scalable with minimal requirements for key management and avoiding the need for security modules.The objectives of the proposed activity are:- define an innovative concept of network-assisted PNT assurance, integrating consistently all capabilities, enabling processing inside the user equipment with the assistance of data provided by the network and increasing scalability by relying on broadcast channels to subscribing users;- develop a demonstrator for such End-to-End PNT assurance concept and service, relying on multiple sources of unpredictable signals (e.g. GNSS, Satcom, SOOP) and integrating all enablers and building blocks (satellite and terrestrial signals, network assistance and user equipment technologies) to prove the concept.The tasks to be performed will include:- assess the effective protection achievable for different types of user equipment. This analysis will take into account different levels of time synchronisation as regards RF front end quality;- assess the technical capabilities and limitations of current COTS components in supporting this service (for instance, considering the diversity of signals sources spread on a large spectrum of frequencies);- test in laboratory and field trials to demonstrate End-to-End concept and performance.The results of the activity will provide:- breadboards implementing the proof-of-concept (e.g. User Equipment, server);- field trial demonstration of End-to-End performance, enabling a unique hands-on experience on innovative concepts for resilient PNT technologies applied to selected use cases;- a roadmap for prototyping and product development, which could be further pursued in other NAVISP Elements.