ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-11058
Open Date: 07/12/2021 17:40 CEST
Closing Date: 15/02/2022 13:00 CEST

SEASTAR is one of the four candidate mission concepts for the eleventh Earth Explorer (EE-11), approved by PBEO at its meeting of 10 June 2021 (ref. ESA/PB-EO(2021)37). SEASTAR will be a single satellite flying in sun-synchronous Low-Earth Orbit featuring a SAR system dedicated to squinted along-track ocean interferometry with the aim to provide Total Surface Current Vector (TSCV) and Ocean Surface Vector Winds (OSVW) at 1 km resolution for all the coastal ocean, shelf seas and marginal ice zones (MIZ). The accuracy and resolution obtained should be good enough to retrieve meaningful values for derivative products, such as strain, vorticity and divergence. This is the resolution necessary to address issues of submesoscale ocean dynamics and small-scale processes. Processes at this scale are important for air-sea interaction, large vertical velocities and enhanced primary productivity supporting the marine food chain. These small-scale dynamics are also important for dispersion (oil pollution, plastics or larvae), with a particular focus on the dynamics of river plumes exiting estuaries. The small-scale processes are also critical for climate-scale processes e.g. governing the rate of deep-water formation and meridional heat transport. The procurement in subject includes the Phase 0 system studies and Phase A system studies which will be performed through a phased contract. Subject to reception of good quality proposals, it is intended to place two parallel contracts. Phase 0: the Phase 0 system study will cover all elements of the mission architecture: space segment (platforms and instruments), ground segments, operations and exploitation concepts. These studies will be based on the Agency’s Statement of Work (SoW) and the Mission Assumptions and preliminary Technical Requirements (MATER). Risk retirement activitieswill also be identified and initiated within the frame of the study, to raise TRL of critical technologies. The expected duration of the Phase 0 system studies is 14 months from kick-off to final approval of all deliverables. The results of the Phase 0 will be used as input for the down selection of two EE-11 missions out of four to progress to phase A. If the mission is selected the second phase of the contract will be initiated, otherwise the contract will be terminated. Phase A: The Phase A system study will address all elements of the mission architecture, namely space segment (platform and payload), ground segment, mission operations and exploitation. The Phase A system study will be based on the Statement of Work (SoW) applicable from the beginning of the contract and the System Requirements Document (SRD) established by ESA and consolidated at the end of the phase 0. Relevant technology pre-developments will be initiated within the frame of the study, to raise TRL of critical technologies, with the aim to reach TRL 4 by the end of phase A, and with a final goal to reach TRL 5 by the end of phase B1. The expected duration of the Phase A system studies is 14 months from kick-off to final approval of all deliverables. The results of the Phase A will be used as input for the down selection of one EE-11 mission out of the remaining two to progress to phase B1. It is expected that Phase B1 will be placed as a rider to the Phase 0/A contract of the EE-11 mission selected for implementation.

Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Authorised Contact Person: Irene Aupetit
Initiating Service: EOP-8M
IP Measure: N/A
Prog. Reference: E/A104-01 – FoundConcept Block 1; E/0600-05 – Preparation Element; E/A104-01 – FoundConcept Block 1
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: AT+BE+CA+CH+CZ+DE+DK+EE+EL+ES+FI+FR+GB+HU+IE+IT+LT+LU+LV+NL+NO+PL+PT+RO+SE+SI
Technology Keywords: 8-A-II-Requirement Engineering / 8-C-I-Design and Simulation / 8-C-II-Multidisciplinary Analysis
Products Keywords: 2-I-1-b-Imaging Radars