PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
The activity provided a first feasibility assessment of maritime VHF Data Exchange via satellite (VDE-SAT) with the aim of
- Exploring user needs and required services potentially offered by VDES;
- Investigating applicable technical solutions and performing trade-off analyses;
- Identifying the benefits, constraints, and complementary aspects of VDE-SAT system with respect to a network that could be supported by alternative (existing) satellite space assets;
- Defining a roadmap for preparing the ARTES participating states industry in supporting the development of any such service / system.
Challenges
- Identify and consolidate requirements and use cases addressing three potential groups of users: institutions, commercial and security/defence sectors.
- Quantify the VDE-SAT capabilities based on available resources, particularly the bandwidth and the maximum power flux density constraints for the data downlink.
- Ship equipment development and its integration with other services (such as AIS).
- Spectrum allocation for VDE-SAT services in World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) 2019
System Architecture
The proposed solution is based on a constellation of Small satellites (between 12U-nano and small-micro) on a low orbit around 600 Km with a lifetime of at least 4 years and based on 6 satellite launch configuration.
The constellation solution for each use case includes a total of 6 up to 24 satellites.
Concerning the payload, the solution is based on a Yagi antenna for the uplink and on-board processing for the uplink and the downlink using a multi core processor. Based on the performance required by the use case and cost limitation, the satellite solution is half-duplex or full duplex.
For ground segment, the proposed configuration uses classical S-Band solutions for polar and equatorial control stations, and ad-hoc station in areas of interest requiring reduced timeliness (military and security domain)
Plan
The activity was divided into 3 major tasks:
- User needs collection, ending with the creation of an URD (User Requirement Document)
- System Concept design and trade-offs:
- Technical solution assessment, for payload, satellite, constellation, ground segment and shipborne devices;
- System simulations, taking into account the points mentioned above, the different modulations, to assess in particular the system capacity and performance;
- Business analysis, identifying the cost and revenues for different scenarios based on a SWOT matrix (comparison with ground systems and with other satellite systems), depending on the sizing of the space system and of expected users.
- Conclusion and roadmap, including the identification of the preferred solution to deploy a system with sufficient early revenues and acceptable level of risks to start generating revenues, used to progressively improve the system until full achievement of all user needs.
Current Status
The study has been completed.
