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In this project Space Norway led a consortium together with Comrod AS and Kongsberg Discovery Seatex who designed and developed a RHCP VHF antenna. This antenna is used within the Satellite VHF Data Exchange System (VDES). The new antenna improves upon link quality and reduces multipath fading compared with the traditional vertical dipole antenna currently in use.
Figure 0‑2 QFH antenna mounted on the railing of the Kongsberg vessel Ocean Space Lab. Credit: Nils Nygaard, Kongsberg Discovery Seatex.
Analysis and selection of earth-qualified optical MUX/DEMUX devices, performances verification in facilities emulating typical space environment and robustness evaluation against harsh environments.
With Direct to device satellite connectivity, 3GPP has opened up a whole new paradigm in mobile communication by introducing the NTN feature. It is expected to gain quickly market traction. Operators will need to decide on the architecture options available and which deployment models to use for this new ecosystem.
The aim of the project is to develop a power supply for Ka/Q/V-Band Solid State Power Amplifiers (SSPA) and associated technologies. The power supply should be modular, flexible and capable to function at high temperature.
The objective of project DOMUK (on the basis of the requirements defined in the ITT) is to develop compact and innovative high-power Output Demultiplexers (ODEMUX) for on-board satellite applications based on the ceramic-loaded resonators at Ku-band and Ka-band. Some breadboard (BB) models and two engineering model (EM) will be manufactured and experimentally verified to fully validate the proposed concepts. The target TRL is 5-6.
Optical Communications Systems are becoming a reality in the realm of small LEO platforms, implementing either inter-satellite or Direct‑to‑Earth links. This activity will develop an optical communication terminal based on a new paradigm, where a single electro-optical device performing motionless-optical beam steering replaces conventional multi-stage pointing system, which is also beneficial to the attitude control system of small satellites.
Development of 2W- and 4W-Class Ka-band (27 to 31 GHz) Packaged Power Amplifier, based on GaN European MMIC Technology, for Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT).
FDSat project identifies potential use cases for single channel full-duplex operation in SatCom and evaluates its feasibility by means of analysis and simulations. Furthermore, technological gaps and promising techniques for developing and implementing the required self-interference cancellation needed to enable single channel full duplex communications over SatCom links are investigated.
The project assessed the feasibility of high-aspect ratio (HAR) satellite designs, aimed at identifying possible use cases, advantages, and challenges. As part of the project, three HAR satellite designs have been conceptualised (SatCom, SAR, modular bus) and recommendations have been developed to further strengthen the industry in the uptake of this novel satellite concept.
The objective of the STRIVING cIU in-orbit validation/demonstration project was to gain flight heritage for the Beyond Gravity Finland Automotive/COTS component based Interface Electronics products.
ESA awarded a contract to LS telcom for the provision of consulting and technical services to support ESA with various matters related to radio spectrum for satellite services. The core issues considered were those relating to WRC-23 Agenda Items, however, the scope of services extended beyond WRC-23 and included assisting ESA to investigate the implications of emerging uses of spectrum allocated to satellite services and the identification of any interference mitigation requirements needed to avoid harmful interference to services operating in satellite bands and thus protect existing, and support the emergence of future, satellite communications systems.
ASTOS, a commercial software initially developed for ESA, evolved from trajectory optimization to a versatile tool for mission design, launch vehicle design, and more. The project seeks to enhance ASTOS with features for communication satellite and constellation design, catering to New Space demands for rapid cycles, user flexibility, and comprehensive coverage of user needs.
The Multi-Voltage Power Processing Unit (MVPPU) concept is a modular PPU that can be tailored to operate different thruster technologies, and thrusters of different power ranges, by selecting its modules among a variety of building blocks developed by Airbus Crisa. This specific project scope is focused on Hall Effect Thruster technology application.
The objective of this activity is to comprehensively explore the application of generative AI within the SatCom industry. This includes understanding the current state-of-the-art in generative AI across various sectors and identifying how these tools and techniques can be adapted for SatCom applications.
The objective of the activity is to develop and test an end-to-end system simulator that provides performance indicators which are key for the development of UAV satellite terminals with the target improvement of enabling key system tools for the development of UAV satellite terminals.
The Airbus Italia Versatile Antenna Control Unit ( V-ACU) project was focused on the development, qualification and integration of a new antenna control unit capable to manage in house conceived tracking algorithms and free of any export control restriction.
The project aims at reaching TRL8 for the CASTeC software as a service platform, which is an add-on functionality to Mission Control Software, implementing advanced telemetry checking in support to operations of satellites constellations. CASTeC provides early and context-based identification of anomalies in the behaviour of satellites, and identification of correlated events and telemetries, enabling fault isolation and mitigation strategies definition, supporting the troubleshooting operations. CASTeC also provides estimates of the Remaining Useful Life of the monitored satellite components.
Within the MOCA project AMOS develops a medium-size (1m-2m) optical communication antenna product for high-performance use cases. Its design, including adaptive optics technology, is optimized for optical communications and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). The goal is to propose robust and cost-effective optical antennas for demanding links.
“Demodulator supported by Artificial Neural Networks” aims to evaluate the benefit of an AI-enhanced demodulator compared to a traditional implementation. The main objectives are designing and testing an AI model for physical layer processing tasks, such as symbol soft de-mapping and channel decoding. The ultimate integration into an FPGA-based soft-GPU platform demonstrates the capabilities for onboard satellite applications.
The TANNDEM project aims to design and test a demodulator supported by an artificial neural network (ANN). This demodulator will be part of current communication standards such as 5G, DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting), Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS), and Internet of Things (IoT) for physical layer processing tasks: demodulation, de-mapping and channel decoding in satellite communication (Satcom) applications.
ANELOQC is an ambitious project that aims to develop an APD-TIA receiver for 1550 nm detection at data-rates of 2.5 Gb/s with a bit-error-rate of 10-6 at a state-of-the-art sensitivity of -43 dBm.
In this activity, a new class of RF components addressing future needs for ground segment network equipment in Q-, V-, and W-bands is developed. These components are produced monolithically using new Additive Manufacturing (AM) process with finer resolution to ensure lower insertion loss and better axial ratio (due to avoidance of assembly/alignment and interfaces) as well as lower production costs.
The R&S®CMX500 mobile radio tester from Rohde & Schwarz brings the satellite down to the lab. The instrument provides different user equipment (UE) testing capabilities that cover the entire 5G device development lifecycle - from design verification to conformance testing.
The LAND project aims to design, fabricate and test a large area 100 x 100 micrometer free space coupled superconducting nano-wire single-photon detector for quantum key distribution and photon starved optical communication applications.
The OpenSatCom project analyses the relevance of open-source methodology models for the satellite communications sector, where such models can provide benefits and how can the European Space Agency contribute to assist relevant existing or new open-source projects. Taking into account the recommendations derived several open-source sub-activities are implemented.
METAMORPHOSIS will define (a) cross-industry cooperation opportunities offered to the European and Canadian satellite industry when considering the convergence of SatCom with the 5G terrestrial business/solutions/technologies/operational concepts for the targeted verticals of transport, media and public safety, (b) integrated satellite terrestrial reference architecture enabling service integration across different verticals, (c) technology development roadmaps and strategic actions necessary for the European & Canadian industry to be able to address these opportunities.
Unhindered access to frequency spectrum is of fundamental importance to the whole satellite services sector and hence to the manufacturing industry it supports. This activity supported the satellite community both in the run-up and aftermath of the World Radio Conference 2019, and initiated preparation for the 2023 World Radio Conference.
The project studies applications of dynamic spectrum management techniques to Satellite communications, with the goal of quantifying the potential improvement in spectrum utilization that can be achieved by applying collaborative and dynamic spectrum allocation techniques.
This study posits a design and delivery solution for a multi-orbital layered satellite constellation, researching capability gains exploiting a cross-vertical space segment. It discusses technology and economic freedoms and constraints, and identifies markets aligned to a multi layered satcom solution.
Through its activities, ALIX supports the satellite communication community to engage with 3GPP in order to develop contributions and advocate positions favourable to the SatCom sector within the 3GPP standardisation process such that they result in tangible industrial opportunities.
The project gathers organizations from the satellite communication community each holding key positions in 3GPP and ETSI as contributors, rapporteurs of study items or chairmanship of Working Group.
The general objective of the activity is to identify promising services in case wearables can communicate directly with communications satellites within the next 5 years. Five short-term Proof-of-Concepts are demonstrated with current satellite IoT systems.
The activity shall stimulate the discussions around wearable satcom and – more in general - shall trigger a notion that satcom could be economically an option for the wearable market.
EdgeSAT explores the applicability and implementation of edge networking concepts in satellite networks in order to identify and characterise the resulting opportunities for Satellite Network and Service providers as well as Satellite terminal manufacturers. As part of this mission, it specifies and validates a SatCom enabled edge node.
The project studies the best approach for implementing feeder links in future Non-Geostationary communication constellations:
RF feeder link using Super High Frequency bands (Ka or Ku)
RF feeder link using Extremely High Frequency EHF (Q/V and/or W)
Optical feeder links
Different Low Earth Orbit (LEO) scenarios are implemented to simulate the feeder link designs with a focus on topology, implementation, operations and service-level impacts.
Elaborate a vision and propose a strategy for the satellite telecom sector based on an innovative yet realistic technology roadmap, to both alleviate risks and exploit opportunities of the “Digital Disruption” that will affect most sectors of the world economy, and the IT and media industry in particular, in the coming decade.
Govsatcom services shall be provided to European Public Safety entities thanks to different means : classic commercial services, adequate procurement schemes to ensure immediate and guarantee access on either commercial assets or governmental assets, or dedicated Govsatcom assets. The aim of Securesat study is: first, to assess the Users and Mission requirements for Govsatcom communications, secondly to identify existing (or soon to be deployed) assets and adequate procurement models that can answer to these requirements,and then to identify the remaining gap and to define complementary new assets to fulfil the full set of requirements. The candidate solutions shall be evaluated through a trade-off to identify the best solutions (taking into account cost-effective parameters). Among the future assets, the development that could be part of a precursor will be identified and a first design will be realised.
Artificial Intelligence for satellite communications will impose new requirements on computer processors, which will have to support large workloads as efficiently in harsh environmental conditions. Neuromorphic processing (NP) is emerging as a bio-inspired solution to address pattern recognition tasks involving multiple, temporal signals and/or requiring continuous learning. The main merits of this technology are energy efficiency and on-device adaptability.
The motivation behind this project was the fact that extensive research is ongoing within (terrestrial) telecommunications to develop and standardize future mobile networks without much thought of the potential exploitation of satellites. At the same time, research specific to satellite-based telecommunications is just a fraction of its terrestrial counterpart and often said to be at least 5 years behind. By looking at new technology, standardization, and concepts in the terrestrial domain, we wanted to identify a number of key areas where the satellite industry can adopt or reuse in order to close this gap.
SatNEx IV activities aim to study medium/long term directions of satellite telecommunication systems for any of the commercial or institutional applications that can be considered appealing by key players but still not mature enough for attracting industry or initiating dedicated ESA R&D activities.
The project studies the applicability of virtualisation and softwarisation technologies to satcom network platforms. It will determine the benefits and the challenges associated with the integration of satellite infrastructures into future cloud networks.
