ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10062
Open Date: 08/10/2019
Closing Date: 02/12/2019 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 19.1TT.45
Prog. Ref.: CC for Advanced Tech
Budget Ref.: E/0505-01C – CC for Advanced Tech
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+CA
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / RF / Microwave Communication (Platform and Payloads) / Antennas – BB / Antenna Towers and/or Reflectors
Technology Domains: Electromagnetic Technologies and Techniques / Antennas / Reflector and Lens Antennas
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Technologies and Products Division
Contract Officer: Rinaudo, Nicole
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 08/10/2019
Update Reason: Loaded a new Clarification(English version)

The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test a side-deployable reflector with metal mesh as the reflective surface and a solid backing structure.Targeted Improvements:Lightweight antenna reflectors with a significant mass reduction of 25% when compared to state-of-the-art reflectors, a shaping capability, very low reflective loss and low acoustic load sensitivity.Description:Current state-of-art side-deployable reflectors with a diameter in the range of 2 to 3.6 metres are based on either carbon-fibre-reinforced-plastic (CFRP) woven fabric or triaxial weave surfaces. Significant mass reduction in the order of 25% canbe achieved by using a combination of metal mesh surfaces and solid backing structures.In this activity, a concept of an extremelylightweight reflector for space telecommunication applications shall be developed for applications from L- to Ka-band. A breadboardof a 2-to-4-metre-class side-deployable reflector shall be designed, manufactured and tested in order to evaluate the developed concept.The concept shall support reflector shaping and exhibit very low reflective loss, low acoustic load sensitivity, low radiofrequency loss, low mass, high stiffness, excellent surface accuracy and stability, and passive-intermodulation-free characteristics, asrequired forapplications from L- to Ka-band.