SMALL RECEIVE-ONLY KA-BAND 23 GHZ ANTENNA AND DEMODULATOR FOR USE ON SMALLER SATELLITES (ARTES AT 5E.008) - EXPRO PLUS RE-ISSUE

Description

Objective: Develop a Ka-band (23 GHz) receive only low gain antenna and demodulator to provide a medium-rate unidirectional data link from GEOto smaller satellites for blind commanding and fast re-tasking.

Targeted Improvements: Improve communication access for small satellite missions by providing low-cost receive-only inter-satellite link via GEO.

Description: Current data relay services and products are not geared towards the small satellite market and its applications. The small satellite market expressed interest in lightweight solutions to implement essential communications such as blind commanding and uploading of data.

Receive-only inter-satellite links can increase the mission effectiveness of small satellite missions, and a number of European players are interested to explore this market based on future data relay services.

The activity shall establish a number of mission scenarios in which receive-only inter-satellite link functionality enables or improves the performance of those small satellite missions. Based on these mission scenarios, the requirements for a receive-only data relay functionality shall be consolidated and various solutions be proposed. This shall include a trade-off on operational concepts for such links, waveforms choices, antenna concepts and accommodation constraints.

The requirements and proposed solutions shall be validated with prospective users of such a capability. For the preferred concept, the on-board receive antenna and demodulator shall then be designed and developed, in addition to the required uplink infrastructure.

As part of the activity, a flight opportunity shall be sought, which could allow to demonstrate the receive-only function in-orbit.

Tender Specifics