ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10045
Open Date: 16/09/2019
Closing Date: 31/10/2019 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 19.154.14
Prog. Ref.: NAVISP Element 1
Budget Ref.: E/0365-10 – NAVISP Element 1
Special Prov.: BE+DK+DE+CH+GB+AT+NL+NO+FI+CZ+RO
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Antennas – BB / Other / 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: Electromagnetic Technologies and Techniques / Antennas / Antenna Design Tools / Electromagnetic Technologies and Techniques / Antennas / Reflector and Lens Antennas / Electromagnetic Technologies and Techniques / Wave Interaction and Propagation / Wave Interaction
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Navigation
Department: Strategy and Programme Department
Division: NAVISP Programme Office
Contract Officer: Papaioannou, Maria
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 16/09/2019
Update Reason: Tender issue

Underwater wireless communications links have almost exclusively been implemented using acoustic systems. Optical links have proved impractical for many applications. Although underwater radio links were experimented in the pioneering days of radio, they did not meet the requirements of the time. Given modern operational requirements and digital communications technology, the time is now ripe for using electromagnetic signals in the underwater environment. Electromagnetic propagation is more than a hundred times faster than acoustic, which can have important advantages for command latency and networking protocols, where many signals have to be exchanged. The main objective of the proposed activity is to design, manufacture and test a low cost / low profile antenna and transponder unit that performs well in a marine environment based on use of electromagnetic signals.