Redu Centre provides ESTRACK tracking capabilities in S- band, and supports in-orbit testing (IOT) of telecommunication and navigation satellites. Redu supports ESA's Artemis and Integral missions as well as Proba. The site hosts multiple tracking antennas operating in a variety of frequency bands, and is located in the Ardennes region of Belgium.
The contract was renewed as a result of RSS reaching its targeted level of achievement after signing the initial contract in July 2007. With the support of Belgian authorities, large investments on the Redu site have been performed such as the installation of new power lines which will be sufficient to support the deployment of future projects in Redu, and the Centre’s extension of around 10000 square metres. ESA is supporting the construction of a new power plant increasing the electrical distribution capability all over the Centre. This power plant will be used for the Galileo project as well as for new customers on site.
At the same time the deployment of the Galileo IOT facilities started (a 20m L-Band, a 4.5m C- Band and VHF antennas), RSS successfully initiated the transfer of Betzdorf Back-Up antennas in Redu. This will comprise 15 antennas of different sizes, including a 13m Ku-Band, that will work as back-up of Bedzdorf facilities.
The Maintenance & Operation team will provide the operational support and an optimisation of the resources on site and a sharing of the costs for the benefit both of ESA and RSS. In 2009, RSS also signed its first Advanced Research in Telecomunications Systems (ARTES) contract relating to the modification of the IOT Ka Band antenna in Redu. With this modification, ESA IOT facilities will fully cover Ku and Ka bands’ needs offering the possibility to RSS to use this antenna for the Hylas IOT campaign foreseen to take place in Fall, 2010.
“The last three years have been a time for change for Redu,” says Dr. Daniele Galardini, Head of Telecom Infrastructure Division of the TIA directorate. “The shared win-win approach regulated by the contract between ESA and RSS has allowed an optimisation of the resources on site and a reduction of the costs which is beneficial to both parties. Third-party activities needing the usage of ESA facilities will be executed to the full satisfaction of new customers by RSS. This has been proven by the achievements of RSS during the past 3 years.”
“This approach allows ESA to focus on its core business: support to In Orbit Demonstration Missions, Proba satellites, support of ESA missions such as Artemis, hosting of ESA facilities (Galileo, SSA), and providing the basis for future ESA projects,” concludes Dr. Galardini.
Such an increase of activities on site, in line with the enhancement of the mission that Redu will exercise inside ESA, has lead to the recognition of Redu as an ESA Centre and its full integration into the ESA structure of establishment and centres in 2009.
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