ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-10723
Open Date: 22/07/2021 08:37 CEST
Closing Date: 05/10/2021 13:00 CEST

The objective of this activity is to design, develop and test an engineering model of a highly-integrated, compact, planar, active array antenna operating in Ka- or Ku-band. Targeted Improvements:- reduction of up to 75% of antenna height;- 20% mass reduction;- DC-to-RF efficiency saving of 15%.Description: Active array antennas are a key enabler of flexible payloads for broadband applications operating in low-Earth and geostationary orbits. Current developments are based on the integration of physically separated building blocks, which do not allow for the high level of integration necessary to achieve low mass and volume. The recent trends in LEO constellations have shown that large numbers of satellites are required, so low cost and multiple-launch capability are important requirements. For the most advanced constellations, satellites are being developed with an almost planar form factor, enabling single launches with 60 satellites per launch. The key enabler of these flat satellites is the flat, low-height, and low-mass active antenna. This high level of integration and height reduction of the antenna is possible by means of addressing the complete design oftheactive antenna as a single system and by targeting the high integration of the different constituent parts, such as radiating elements, amplifiers, filters and beamformers. A possible implementation is a multi-layer printed circuit approach for the different functions, including low-height radiating elements and an accurately designed interconnection strategy between the different layers.On-going developments of active antennas are targeting size and mass reduction, but they are not addressing a very high level of integration through a multilayer approach to reduce the antenna height. This activity targets the reduction of the planar antenna thicknessof active phased array antennas.

Directorate: Directorate Telecom Integrated Applica
Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Authorised Contact Person: Adriana Lucas
Initiating Service: TIA-TTS
IP Measure: N/A
Prog. Reference: E/0534-01G – CC-AT 4.0.1
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: AT+BE+CA+CH+CZ+DE+DK+EL+ES+FI+FR+GB+HU+IE+IT+LU+NL+NO+PL+PT+RO+SE
Technology Keywords: 7-A-III-Array Antennas and Standalone Radiators
Products Keywords: 2-L-1-a-Omnidirectional, Helix, Horn, Parabolic, Phased Arrays / Platform vs Payload