Please click on the + symbol to expand the Filter By ARTES Elements to narrow your search. If you are looking for a specific element select from the list provided and click on the Apply button to start the search and display the results.
The objective of the COMFIL project is to develop and evaluate compact concepts for C-band and Ku-band broadband bandpass filters having a very low insertion loss and wide spurious free range in the out-of-band.
This project investigates the suitability of additive manufacturing for the fabrication of RF user terminal front-ends for communications-on-the-move applications. Three different components taken from commercial terminals are successfully implemented: a diplexer, an OMT, and an antenna array. All the components are manufactured by stereolithography of polymer materials followed by a proprietary electroless copper plating procedure developed by Swissto12.
Among all antenna payload solutions suitable to support reconfigurable and flexible broadband satellite communication missions, DRA antenna systems represent the typical candidates to fulfill these requirements.
Unfortunately, periodic DRA antenna solutions are characterized by different drawbacks, mainly related to the very large array aperture dimensions needed to obtain narrow high-gain spot beams, with as consequence very high number of active radiating elements, high system complexity, high weight, difficulties in accommodation and high manufacturing costs.
Another key point for future satellite telecommunication missions is to consider antenna systems able to operate simultaneously at both receive and transmit bands using the same antenna aperture.
The transmit/receive DRA antenna characterized by the same aperture for satellite applications presents many difficulties at higher frequency as the Ka Band, due to the operative frequency band considering a frequency ratio 1.5 between transmit and receive. In this respect, the selections of the adequate radiating element inter-spacing and the antenna aperture size have to consider both transmit and receive performances.
A very interesting antenna solution potentially suitable to overcome all these drawbacks is represented by an Imaging antenna architecture fed by two small active phased arrays, one for TX and one for RX.
Moreover, in order to minimize the number of radiating elements, satisfying pattern requirements in terms of sidelobe and isolation levels, aperiodic/sparse array configurations have been considered to feed the Imaging antenna system.
The programme comprised four elements, the first to develop a range of three E3000 SXL Satellite Platforms (featuring CPS MkIII), the second was a combination of E/W radiators and TWT implementation enhancements in order to extend thermal capability, the third was a range of payload implementation improvements and the final package was to develop the products necessary to offer a E3000 100V platform into the market.
The project comprises investigation of possible solutions to minimize
mass and volume for the RF Front-End elements of large Ka-band high
throughput satellites. This includes:
- Architectural trade-offs
- Technology trade-offs
- Design
- Sub-elements and BB validation
- EM MAIT
This project proposes the industrial development by Airbus Defence and Space Crisa, under the Artes 3-4 programme, of a sequencing module so-called Heater-Keeper-Ignitor-Sequencer, (HKISeq). This module is part of the New Generation of Power Processing Unit of Airbus Defence and Space.
In the frame of European efforts for independence regarding equipment for satellite communication, this project aims to develop ITAR free 20µm bi-propellant particle filter to meet applicable requirements related to the existing European Geostationary Telecom platforms.
The project’s target is the design and development of a system demonstrator that proves the feasibility and benefit of interference mitigation techniques in representative environments.
Within this activity the RIT 2X ion thruster product for application on geostationary telecommunication satellites has been developed. The activity secures the transition from the heritage RIT22 system towards a customized RIT2X solution for a commercial customer. Scope included development activities for Thruster, Radio Frequency Generator, Neutralizer and Xenon Flow Control. The Power Processing Unit has been developed in parallel within a German National Programme.
Spacecraft structural health-monitoring applications are pushed forward by increased constraints in the cost of launching payloads into orbit that dictates major reduction in structural weight. Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) optical sensors exhibit a large multiplexing capability and thus can provide relevant savings in terms of cabling and sensor weight. With this objective, the FOS System project has adapted the photonic sensor technology to the requirements of space in-flight applications.
The result is a smart demonstrator based on FBG optical sensing technology, able to acquire up to 8 channels with 20 FBGs per channel at 10 Hz acquisition rate and showing temperature sensing precisions above 0.2°C. The system can be accommodated either in stand-alone configuration or inside a telemetry acquisition unit.
The usage of multi-carrier per transponder operation is becoming more and more common in future satellite systems. This is due to both the use of wider transponder bandwidths and because the efficient operation of multi-carrier transmissions is of high importance future broadcast applications and for broadband applications over future high throughput satellite (HTS) systems. In this context, MCPRED project has implemented a powerful multi-carrier pre-distortion hardware prototype testbed, whose performance has been successfully tested both in laboratory conditions and through over-the-air satellite demonstrations. To this end, throughput gains up to 9% over linearized satellite transponders were successfully demonstrated, which directly translates to similar improvements in terms of operational expenditures as well as capital expenditure gains.
This project covers the development of a RFIC that operates in Ku band which will support interfacing with phased array antenna elements and hardware demonstrator with all the components integrated.
The next generation of Ka-band satellites will allow a considerable reduction in wireless broadband access costs on-the-move. Mobility requires beam steering at the user terminal to maintain the satellite link. An effort is required to allow smaller affordable mobile terminal antennas mounted on top of vehicles like trains, car or planes without sacrificing performance. There is a trade-off among several possible antenna solutions in terms complexity, weight and cost. Pure mechanical steering solutions promise very low-cost antennas, while competing in terms of performance. The downsides tends to be the antenna volume and mechanical complexity.
The project proposes a new concept of mechanically steered Ka-band antenna based on a passive transmit-array design that scans the beam just by its in-plane translations over a fixed single feed (or mixed translation of the transmit-array and a single feed). This favors antenna low profile and lightweight. A single aperture is used to operate simultaneously in the downlink and uplink bands with circular polarization. The proposed solution requires less volume and less weight compared to reflector-based solutions. At the same time, the developed solution allows lower production costs than phased array antenna solutions.
Following key activities in the telecom payload product area have been performed:
- Development, industrialization and qualification of two 4-pack Kaband LNA EQMs; one with primary power interface and one with secondary power interface.
The goal of the GHOST is to develop a flexible measurement instrument to facilitate the verification of wideband satellite channels without interrupting the customer service as well as avoiding interfering with other satellites during orbital movements.
The purpose of the project is to design, manufacture and test an Engineering Model Multi-port Amplifier operating in the Ku-band. This allows demonstration of RF performances, confirmation of the performance predictions and demonstration of the calibration functions of an MPA. The project ensures risks are retired and the path to a future Flight Model is identified.
In Electric Propulsion systems often cross-switching of high voltage lines is required.
Nowadays this kind of switching is usually done with high voltage relays. Benefits are expected by replacing the relays with semiconductors.
The challenge will be the use of advanced semiconductors capable to deal with high voltages, related to Hall Effect Thruster and Ion Engines.
EPTOS project developed a flight dynamics product able to optimize the orbital transfer trajectory and attitude for novel commercial telecom GEO satellites that employ electric propulsion for orbit raising to GEO.
The final product has been integrated in GMV’s commercial focusleop product, part of GMV’s focussuite flight dynamics system, flight-proven and highly reliable software devoted to ground control of commercial satellites during LEOP.
The project is about the development of a communication gateway product that comprises features and functionalities, which allow the efficient linking of Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) to satellite networks. The development addresses the market of public safety organisations which do have a requirement for mobile broadband communication solutions with a high availability at the respective operation sites. Key requirements from public safety organisations in the areas of mobility management, security and QoS provisioning will be fulfilled by the solution to be developed. Fulfilling the customers’ requirements, being fully operational and providing an easy handling will facilitate the market entry.
The objective of this project was to design, build and test an
engineering model of a Xenon Flow Control Module using MEMSbased
flow control elements. The primary application for this MEMSbased
Xenon flow controller module is existing and future medium and
high power Electric Propulsion thruster applications.
Starting from an existing EP technology to be potentially employed for Next Generation Telecom Platforms, the effects on both thruster and system-level performance of propellants selected to be potentially alternative to Xe have been assessed through the development of mathematical models and dedicated test sessions.
As the key nonlinear building block of a linearized channel amplifier (LCAMP) the linearizer must compensate a broad variety of TWT nonlinearities. A set of new RF equalizer MMICs provides a greater tuning flexibility by electronic means, thus making hardware modifications obsolete.
Broadband satellite systems are at a unique position for providing telecommunication infrastructure in security critical situations for effectively dealing with emergency and disaster management, and rescue and relief operations. Disasters are unpredictable in space and time and often take place in areas with non-existing, partially damaged or completely destroyed communication infrastructure, compromising any rescue and recovery effort. The proposed next generation of satellite OBP hosted payloads could help in these extreme conditions.
The feasibility study of VDES satellite component system consisted in exploring user needs and required services, defining satellite technical solutions in response of the user needs and performing trade-off analyses of the satellite technical solutions.
The project demonstrates that the DVB-S2X standard can be a common technology enabler for land-mobile, aeronautical, and maritime satellite services, in addition to the fixed VSAT. The reference design implements novel features such as super-frame format #3, a robust synchronization chain, signal predistortion, and a convolutional interleaver. The test system can operate down to -6 dB SNR.
Identification and verification of an advanced manufacturing technique capable of processing a propellant-compatible material for the production of space grade bellows.
This project investigates the possibility of providing a generic mixer system that is capable of offering a versatile downconverter for a front end system. This in the sense that a multitude of frequency bands can be dealt with using just one component. It comes in contrast to the use of a dedicated/custom system for each one of the bands.
The activity is aimed at design and prototyping of a novel wideband flexible front-end, capable to appropriately down convert, digitise and process a single or multiple input IF carriers with a (aggregate) bandwidth of up to 500 MHz.
The objective of this project was the design and breadboarding of a single ground station terminal antenna able to track two simultaneous satellites in MEO orbit allowing the handover process.
ADS for antennas.
The A-ADS system enables the deployment of satellite antennas with a large diameter and an extended focal length. The articulated (segmented) boom can be folded in several configurations on the spacecraft sidewall. Three hold-down points, based on similar technology as used on Airbus Defence and Space NL solar arrays (heritage of >500 releases with 100% success), will assure safe accommodation during launch and shock-free release in orbit.
The boom deploys by means of spring-driven hinges interconnected by means of synchronization cables, similar to solar arrays. The deployment speed is
controlled by an actuator. When fully deployed, the hinges are locked, providing a very stiff structure, essential for disturbance-free pointing of the antenna. The pitch-and-roll pointing mechanism (ADTM Mk2 gimbal by Airbus Defence and Space with over 23 in orbit), is located close to the reflector assuring high pointing accuracy.
The A-ADS has a modular design, which allows a wide range of mission configurations by tuning only a few design parameters. This approach in combination with the use of standard building blocks minimizes the non-recurring design effort for a specific application and allows any desired configuration. A special kinematic model is available to assess the design parameters of the A-ADS based on customer inputs.
Enhancing capacity and flexibility is one of the major challenges for new-generation of payloads. The interest of two major European Telecommunication Operators for these solutions has motivated the present study in order to define the possible Generic Payload Solutions in line with the Operator views and with the objective of taking benefit of their guidelines for the down-selection of preferred payload scenarios.
