PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
The objective of the project is to develop technologies and key components for a hand-held satcom packet data terminal that would operate as an accessory to a PDA. This necessitates a high degree of miniaturisation/integration of components, to an extent not traditionally pursued by the low-volume satcom market.
Challenges
The key issues addressed in the project are:
2. Power consumption/battery life – how to minimise power consumption and extend stand-by and operational battery life to figures that will be attractive to the marketplace
3. PDA interoperability – how to ensure one PocketSAT terminal design can be used with a variety of PDA types (it is essential for a low volume market to avoid multiple product variants)
4. Reconfigurability – how to ensure a single hardware platform can be adapted for use across a range of satcom systems/services, through software/firmware reconfiguration
Plan
The project is planned to run from January to December 2003 and consists of the following stages:
- Design trade-off study – to confirm the feasibility of the PocketSAT concept and to converge on a product specification and optimal architectural design. This includes a detailed paper design for a suitable near-omni-directional L-band miniature antenna.
- PoC design and implementation – detailed design of digital and RF hardware miniaturised down to ‘PDA-consistent’ proportions, and development/integration of software/firmware for the transmitter and receiver of a representative satcom packet data air interface. The PoC unit will be designed to support a variety of system tests and demonstrations, and serve as a platform for further development and design optimisation.
- Tests and Demonstrations – to validate the PoC design and to identify areas of the design needing refinement or further optimisation. Tests would be predominantly laboratory-based, however on-air field trials may also be conducted (Inmarsat have offered to support on-air testing). Certain demonstrations will be aimed at satcom system operators, service providers and/or terminal manufacturers, with a view to generating interest and financial support for a Phase 2 pre-production prototype development activity in 2004.
Current Status
- Project commenced January 2003
- Design Review Meeting held March 2003
- Proof-of-Concept (PoC) system design completed May 2003
- Detailed hardware and software designs completed July 2003
- Manufacture of PoC RF and baseband processing hardware completed September 2003
- Transmitter and receiver baseband processing software completed December 2003
- Real-time software/hardware and RF/baseband integration completed March 2004
- Forward and return channel demonstrations at L-band completed April 2004
- Final technical and commercial documentation completed June 2004
- All final deliverables supplied and accepted: project concluded July 2004
- Commercialisation opportunities are being actively pursued in the land-mobile, maritime and aeronautical satcom domains, both civil and military.
- Following a successful Negotiation Meeting at ESTEC in July 2004, Phase 2 of the PocketSAT programme is due to commence in September 2004 with ESA co-funding under ARTES 4. Phase 2 will take the PoC development closer to a manufacturable end-product and will include integration of a third-party protocol stack and development of a compact antenna solution suitable for mass-production by new partner JAST Sàrl of Switzerland. Phase 2 will also include over-the-air field trials using Inmarsat satellites.