ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10197
Open Date: 14/12/2020
Closing Date: 16/03/2021 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 20.1TT.17
Prog. Ref.: CC-AT 4.0.1
Budget Ref.: E/0534-01G – CC-AT 4.0.1
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+CA+HU+PL
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Repeaters and Transceivers / Bent-pipe repeaters, regenarative transponders, …
Technology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Telecommunication Systems/Subsystems / Telecom Equipment
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Technologies and Products Division
Contract Officer: Glandieres, Florence Odette Jeanne
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 14/12/2020
Update Reason: Tender issue

Objective: The objective of the activity is to develop techniques and technologies enabling reliable lead-free assemblies of RF anddigital circuit boards as needed in satcom payloads. An Engineering Model representing sub-system elements for future constellationsand geostationary commercial applications shall be manufactured and tested. Targeted Improvements: Enabling the use of lead-free commercial EEE components for space application not established today. Description: European regulations (RoHS REACH) severely restrict the use of lead in commercial electronic items. This has a strong impact on EEE component supply chains for satellite communication equipment. Long-term reliability of lead-free assemblies has not been demonstrated for space applications and known issues include:- tin pest and tin whiskers;- differing mechanical properties of the solders;- higher reflow temperatures;- changes in thecomponent and PCB metallisation.Terrestrial and automotive markets extensively use lead-free assembly technologies and some of themcould be spun in. This would enable the use of lead free commercially available EEE components for satellite communication equipment. Inthis activity, a technological assessment and development of lead free assembly technologies for the space environment willbecarried out. This will include material properties, conditions for higher temperature reflow, fatigue characteristics, failure modes and adaptation of assembly techniques used for space hardware. Outputs of the activity shall be available for the evolution of theECSS-Q-ST-70-61C standard. Representative RF and digital circuit board test vehicles will be designed and manufactured to Engineering Model(EM) level employing the developed lead free assembly techniques. These will be subjected to a test campaign with test conditions that are representative of the low Earth and geostationary orbit operational environments.