Description
A key role of ESA in telecommunications is to promote a significant level of R&D activities to ensure the readiness and competitiveness of European industry in the short and long term. ARTES Element 5 sub-element 5.1, short ARTES 5.1, is the Agency's main programme for preparatory development of satellite communications, and it covers the long-term R&D activities. ARTES 5.1 activities contain significant amount of industrial research and technical risk and are therefore fully funded. ARTES 5 is concerned with the earlystages of development of systems and exploitation of new and promising technologies for satellite communications. In several cases the ARTES 5 activities are a continuation of a TRP activity. Within the TRP the components are developed and basic feasibility is demonstrated, while within ARTES 5 the equipment are developed to breadboard or engineering model level. The further development to a space qualified or industrialised product is supported within the co-funded ARTES 3-4 element. Through ARTES 5, ESA supports the exploitation of new technologies into equipment such that in the long-term the industry will be able to offer state-of-the-art equipment and systems at competitive prices. It encompasses activities related to the development of subsystems and equipment for satellitecommunications. The Workplan 2014 addresses specifically the Technology and Equipment activities in support of the activity linesdefined in the Telecommunications Long Term Plan. The Workplan 2014 has been coordinated with other ESA technology programmes according to the end-to-end process described in ESA/IPC(2008)61, rev.1. The activities are organised per application area with System, Space Segment (Platform and Payload), Ground Segment and User Terminals.
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