Generic Flexible Payload Solution

Status

Completed
Status date

2017-06-21
Activity Code

5A.035

Objectives

The main objectives of the study was to address the following points:

definition of solutions for answering two major Operators needs,
analysis of various flexible payload scenarios, from a technical, programmatic and market standpoint
definition and specification of generic Payload architectures
identification of the associated key Payload developments for the next phase (EQMs complementary to on-going FLIP and ARTES developments).

The project was aiming at a recurrent hardware implementation that would satisfy a large portion of the operators requirements with the objective to define the key development strategic axis for Thales Alenia Space. To achieve this objective, two main European Operators contributed to the establishment of mission specifications, to take into account real needs for flexible payload solutions definition.

Challenges

Main challenge was the definition of Flexible Payload Solutions in line with the Operator views and needs (based on their requirements) and compatible of the cost targets in line with the current commercial market.

Benefits

The main benefit of flexible payloads is to overcome the limitations of the current payloads that are ‘tailor-made’ solutions with limited flexibility and limited generic hardware and to answer to the following expected capabilities.

More flexibility to meet the changing market landscape and to cope with different orbital positions, perhaps in different regions,
Capability to adapt the satellite use to the real and moving traffic.
Capability to catch the volatile or emergent markets
Better optimization of the fleet management: having on back-up satellite for several services optimizes redundancy for a given orbital position and coverage.
Shorter schedules since there would be less non-recurrent activities,
Lower cost because of the use of the generic hardware,
Lower risks since the units are generic and therefore the production runs are higher.

Features

4 payload architectures have been defined to answer the Customer requirements:

Architecture N°1 : defined to answer requirements of Customer N°1 assuming following main features

Limited to Ku-bands used for telecommunication applications and excluding frequency bands dedicated to BSS application (excluding Ku+ in Rx and frequency band 11.7 – 12.5 GHz for Tx)
Generation of several flexible beams – 4 minimum

Architecture N°2 : defined to answer requirements of Customer N°2 assuming following main features

possible use of all the Ku frequency bands including bands dedicated to BSS application
generation of a single flexible beam

Architecture N°3 : introduction of active antennas for missions answering to Customer N°1
Architecture N°4 = introduction of multibeam antenna to enhance satellite offered capacity and to optimize the payload cost/MHz

As a conclusion of the study, the following main units have been defined as candidate for developments :

DTP processor as the core of the payload
RF to IF and IF to RF frequency converters
Amplification chains compatible of MPA and active antennas
Antenna with selectable sub-reflectors (SSRA)
Anti-jamming Rx antenna based on passive reconfigurable concept

Plan

Generic Flexible Payload Solutions answering 2 main Customers have been defined. Needed products development plan has been defined and completed. Outline proposals have been submitted to ESA

Current status

All key reviews (Mission Review, MTR, FR) have been held successfully.

The project documentation is completed.