Description
Priority 2: Priority 2 activities will only be initiated on the explicit request of at least one delegation.
Objective: Development of a 750 W Ka-Band Travelling Wave Tube (TWT) up to Prototype Level for commercial broadband and high capacity satellite uplinks.
Targeted Improvements: This development will bring a performance improvement greater than 1.5 dB RF Output Power and 5 percentage points more in DC/RF efficiency as compared to European state-of-the-art TWT.
Description: This development will bring a performance improvement greater than 1.5 dB RF Output Power and 5 percentage points more in DC/RF efficiency as compared to European state-of-the-art TWT. The target is to develop a TWT with an improved VSWR < 1.3:1 and 3GHz Bandwidth.
The growing demand for higher data-rate links calls for new High Power Amplifier (HPA) developments in Ka band with increased levels of Output Power. The US is currently dominating this market with products offering performance close to the one targeted by this activity.
On the other hand, current European HPA developments in Ka Band for Earth Stations are limited to a maximum of 400W CW and 500W peak RF Output power. In addition, these developments are not likely to be fully ITAR free, depending on US for some critical materials and/or components.
Therefore the activity would improve the positioning of the European Industry to win future opportunities in such an emerging market and increase its competitiveness. Finally, this activity will contribute to enhance the existing technology in Europe for certain materials, components and building blocks.
The activity will include the following tasks:
Market survey on current developments in Ka-Band (for both HW and SW);
- Literature survey on technologies and materials for high Power TWTs at the target frequencies;
- Design of building blocks (e.g. Electron Gun, Collector, cooling, input and output couplings, housing, etc.);
- Manufacturing and testing of critical building blocks;
- Validation campaign with design improvement;
- Assembly of complete unit and testing.
- Assembly of complete unit and testing.
Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news "Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and R&D entities in ESA programmes".