ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10524
Open Date: 11/12/2020
Closing Date: 25/03/2021 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 20.1TF.16
Prog. Ref.: 5G-Other Act. Prod&T
Budget Ref.: E/0534-03A – 5G-Other Act. Prod&T
Special Prov.: AT+CA+CH+CZ+DE+DK+ES+FI+GR+HU+IE+IT+LU+NO+PT+RO+SE+GB
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Launchers / Avionics / On-Board Computers / *See Software
Technology Domains: Onboard Data Systems / Payload Data Processing / System Technologies for Payload Data Processing
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Future Projects Division
Contract Officer: Ferreol, Audrey
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 11/12/2020
Update Reason: Tender issue

The objective of the activity is to develop, validate and demonstrate the integration of non-3GPP satellite networks with 5G core networks. Targeted Improvements: Enabling the integration of non-3GPP satellite networks with future 5G core networks. Description: Anumber of methods exists to integrate satellite networks with 5G terrestrial networks. They can be integrated in the radio accessnetwork (RAN), but also via standardised interfaces to the 5G core network. One of these interfaces – interworking for non-3GPP networks (N3IWF) – will allow to integrate the 5G core network with legacy and non-3GPP networks. For example, some N3IWF implementations exist to integrate 5G core networks with Wi-Fi or WLAN networks. However, the use of the N3IWF function for satellite network integration has so far not been developed or demonstrated despite being a key enabler. This activity will therefore develop and validate an integration mechanism for satellite networks based on the N3IWF function. Heritage from WLAN and Wi-Fi access integration solutions for 5G core networks will be considered. The activity will develop and validate a prototype to demonstrate the N3IWF function for at least two different non-3GPP satellite networks and integrate these with a 5G core network. The activity will investigate thepractical aspects of integrating trusted and non-trusted non-3GPP satellite networks, and demonstrate as a minimum the access traffic steering, switching and splitting (ATSSS), as well as MP-TCP or MP-QUIC. Furthermore, the interaction with network slicing in thecore will be addressed. A demonstration of the practical benefits of such integration will be implemented, addressing areas of network management in general, billing, service provisioning and deployment.