ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10220
Open Date: 10/02/2021
Closing Date: 05/05/2021 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 20.1TT.40
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) / “Communication – BB (Antennas excluded)” / Other
Technology Domains: RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Telecommunication Systems/Subsystems / Telecom Signal Processing
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Technologies and Products Division
Contract Officer: Lucas, Adriana
Industrial Policy Measure: C2 – Activities in open competition, significant partecipat…
Last Update Date: 10/02/2021
Update Reason: Modified the Statement of Work (English version)

Objective: The objective of the activity is to develop a low-latency, global and independent telemetry and control communication system utilising existing space-based M2M/IoT networks. A system testbed and a prototype satellite IoT user terminal will be developed. In order to validate the concept in operational conditions, the user terminal will be launched and tested in orbit. Targeted Improvements: Enabling a low-latency, global and independent telemetry and control capability not existing today. Description: Classic satellite operations involve a terrestrial network for tracking, telemetry and control (TTC) that acts as the umbilical cord that connects a spacecraft with its operator. A missions concept of operations (CONOPS) is heavily driven by the available TTC infrastructure on ground and vice versa. However, the emergence of new satellite IoT systems in LEO opens up the possibility of rethinking satellite operations and TTC networks. IoT constellations in LEO are designed to work with very low power user nodes on ground. Yet,their antennas have relatively high gain towards space that could be exploited to provide M2M communications to other satellites. By embarking user IoT nodes aboard third-party spacecraft, existing IoT LEO constellations could provide a low-latency and global telemetry and control network independent from the existing terrestrial infrastructure. The activity will develop a prototype satellite IoTuser terminal compatible with existing space IoT networks. It will be launched and tested in orbit using a flight opportunitycommensurate with the budget to validate the concept in real operational conditions. The results of the test campaign will be fed intoa mission simulator where new operational concepts and TTC network concepts will be developed. Procurement Policy: C2: Activities are in open competition, where a significant participation of non-LSIs is requested. For additional information please go to EMITS news “Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and RD entities in ESA programmes”.