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Funding
This page displays the ARTES Invitation To Tenders (ITTs) which are published on ESA-STAR. 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.
Funding of the individual Prime or subcontractors, for ARTES Core Competitiveness and ARTES Applications activities, is subject to authorisation of the required ARTES budget by the related National Delegations. Therefore, bidding teams are requested to inform their National Delegation(s) of their intention to participate in funded activities already before submitting a proposal.
The official information platform for providing potential bidders all the relevant documentation and details concerning the intended and issued Invitations To Tender (ITTs) for Open Competitions and Direct Negotiations is ESA-STAR - managed and operated by the ESA Procurement Department.
SPECTRUM SHARING TECHNIQUES FOR BEYOND 5G (B5G) AND 6G 3D NETWORKS (ARTES 4.0 SPL 5G/6G 3A.185)
The objective of the activity is to investigate and develop spectrum reuse and sharing techniques for integrated NTN-TN 3D networksthat allow them to pool, share, and rapidly reallocate spectrum on demand among their heterogeneous components/segments. The techniques will be prototyped in a testbed to be implemented as part of the activity.Targeted improvements:Enabling spectrum reuse and sharing in integrated NTN-NT 3D networks.Description:Spe…
SOFTWARE DEFINED NETWORKING-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTED DENIAL OF SERVICES PROTECTION OF 5G NON TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS (ARTES 4.0 SPL 4S 3D.027)
The objective of this activity is to identify+ develop and test Software Defined Networking (SDN) based solutions for 5G Core Network (CN)+ capable of addressing efficiently and effectively Distributed Denial of Services (DDoS) attacks against 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks. This activity will develop a testbed of SDN implementation for 5G CN to test protection mechanisms against various attack scenarios for relevant 5G NTN use cases+ and study t…
BUFFERBLOAT FREE AND CONGESTION RESILIENT SATCOM NETWORKS (ARTES AT 6B.129)
The objective of this activity is to design, implement and test active queuing management and packet scheduling techniques at the user terminals and ground equipment, so that the SATCOM network continues to provide seamlessly an acceptable throughput and latency to users under any congestion situation.Targeted Improvements:- Enabling a responsive and fair SATCOM network in any traffic andresources availability situation.- Keeping the addition…
ARTES 4.0 SPL OPTICAL COMMUNICATION - SCYLIGHT: RF AND OPTICAL HYBRID GATEWAY ANTENNA (6C.002/SL.024)(ON DELEGATION REQUEST) - EXPRO PLUS
Objective:The objective of this activity is to investigate a telecom gateway antenna able to work simultaneously in both the RF (Ka- Q/V-Band) and optical wavelengths.Targeted Improvements:This product is currently not available and it would allow a phased migration from RF communications to optical communications.Description:There is a clear trend in the need to increase bandwidth in order to increase the data rate, within the telecommunicat…
KA-BAND RADIO FREQUENCY FRONT-END RESISTANT TO INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE FOR SECURE TTC (ARTES 4.0 4S SPL 4G.041)
The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test a Scaled Engineering Model of rugged Ka-band RF front-end for secure TTC applications that will enable technologies for mitigation of intentional interference. Targeted Improvements: Ability to operate under severe Radio Frequency Interference. Description: TTC is a key equipment for all satellites since it provides the umbilical cord to the control station(s). It has to operate…
COMPACT VHF-BAND DIPLEXER FOR SMALL SATELLITE VHF DATA EXCHANGE PAYLOADS (ARTES AT 5E.030)
The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test a compact transmit-receive diplexer engineering model with high isolation, low loss and power handling as required for full duplex VHF data exchange payloads.Targeted Improvements: Enabling technology for full duplex VHF data exchange system (VDES) payloads on small satellite platforms.Description: The World Radiocommunication Conference in 2019 allocated maritime VHF frequencies…
PIONEER PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS (PIONEER 4.0) - OPEN CALL FOR PROPOSAL
The Pioneer programme, implemented under the ARTES 4.0 Generic Programme Line "Partnership Projects", aims to supports the emergence of Space Mission Providers (SMPs), i.e. commercial entities interested in becoming one-stop-shop service providers for public and private customers. The Open Call for proposals is aimed to offer the opportunity for new companies from across all ESA member statesto participate in the programme. It will b…
ZERO-TRUST ARCHITECTURE FOR LOW EARTH ORBIT REGENERATIVE PAYLOADS ( ARTES 4.0 SPL 4S 3D.029)
The objective of this activity is to design+ implement+ and validate a zero-trust architecture for a Low Earth Orbit regenerative 5G gNodeB+ that mitigates the security risks specific to 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks.
MULTIFREQUENCY TRANSMIT ACTIVE PHASED ARRAYS FOR GROUND TERMINALS CONNECTED WITH MULTI-ORBIT NON GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT SATELLITES (ARTES AT 7A.078)
The objective of this activity is to design, develop and test enabling technologies for multi frequency transmit active antenna. This will include antenna radiating elements, beamforming techniques and active elements designed to cover Ku and Ka transmit frequency bands for ground terminals connected to non-geostationary multi-orbit satellites.Targeted Improvements: - Mass and size reduction by 30% by sharing components between frequency bands…
ARTES 4.0 SPL OPTICAL COMMUNICATION - SCYLIGHT : DEMONSTRATION OF RELIABLE HIGH DATA RATE OPTICAL LINKS UNDER STRONG ATMOSPHERIC TURBULENCE CONDITIONS (3B.042 / SL.015)
Objective:The objective of this activity is to demonstrate reliable high data rate optical transmission through the atmosphere (>100Gbps) in a scenario representative (in terms of link attenuation and optical turbulence) of an optical link between a telecom satellite and an Optical Ground Station for elevation angles down to 5deg. Targeted Improvements:Improve the service quality and availability of high data rate optical links through the…
PREDICTIVE QUALITY OF SERVICE (QOS) PROTOCOL FOR NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS IN SUPPORT OF AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES (ARTES 4.0 SPL 5G/6G 3F.023)
Objective:This objective of this activity is to develop and test an extended protocol to address the support of predictive Qualityof Service (QoS) in Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs). The activity will also undertake the necessary investigation and selection of data-driven algorithms to automate predictive QoS in NTN.Targeted Improvements:Features enhancement to align NTN solutions in an integrated NTN/TN ecosystem in support to automotive serv…
IN-ORBIT EXPERIMENT OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE DATA TRANSPORT, SWITCHING AND PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES FOR TELECOM APPLICATIONS IN LOW EARTH ORBIT (ARTES AT 3E.017) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of this activity is to design, develop and perform an in-orbit experiment of high-performance data transport, switching and processing technologies consisting of several key building blocks like processors, mass memory, switches and optical interconnects, allowing a data throughput of up to 10 Terabit per second to enable future high performance telecommunication applications. Targeted Improvements: Improvement by a factor of two…
LOW COMPLEXITY SOLAR CELLS FOR HIGH VOLUME PRODUCTION (ARTES AT 4F.170)
The objective of this activity is to develop, manufacture and test new solar cells with new structures, new processes that will increase the throughput.Targeted Improvements: Doubling the production throughput by the introduction of innovative processes with anew solar cell designDescription: Currently the demand of highly efficient solar cells is exceeding the supply and requires to bemuch more competitive. Simplified manufacturing processes…
FREE-SPACE COHERENT OPTICAL LINK FOR TIME AND FREQUENCY TRANSFER (ARTES 4.0 SL SPL 5F.041)
The objective of the activity is to develop and prototype a free-space optical Frequency and Timing transfer solution over a coherent optical link optimised for the use case of linking critical infrastructure and metrology applications.Targeted Improvements:The two parameters to be improved over existing RF-based techniques are time and frequency transfer accuracy (factor 5 to 10 improvement), resistance to interference and robustness of the l…
ARTES 4.0 SPL 4S 3A.199 RADIO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR JAMMING MITIGATION IN NGSO CONSTELLATIONS
The objective of the activity is to design, develop and test jamming mitigation strategies for NGSO broadband secure systems based on adaptive radio resource management algorithms.
MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUES FOR DATA RATE REDUCTION (ARTES AT 7B.079)
The objective of this activity is to design, implement and test Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based data rate reduction techniques for ground terminals. A testbed will be developed to assess performance savings in terms of throughput, complexity and power consumption.Targeted Improvements: Decrease the transmitted data rate by at least 40% for specific applicationsDescription: Many types of data transmissions and recep…
NUTATION BASED FINE TRACKING SYSTEM FOR SPACE OPTICAL COMMUNICATION TERMINALS (ARTES 4.0 SL SPL 5F.049)
Objective: The objective of the activity is to develop a fine tracking system with reduced complexity and size. The fine tracking of optical communication terminals shall be based on Rx-fibre or Rxbeam nutation for probing the point spread function at the focal plane and will replace the need for a tracking sensor. Targeted Improvements: Reduce the size weight, power and cost of space opticalcommunication terminals by 30%. Description: Nutatio…
SOLAR ARRAY TO POWER DIRECTLY AN ELECTRICAL PROPULSION SYSTEM (ARTES AT 4F.163) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of the activity is to develop and test coupons to pave the way for high-power, high-voltage solar arrays (e.g., 300 Vplus) feeding directly electric propulsion systems. Targeted Improvements:- Increased solar array output voltage from 100V to at least 300V for high power solar arrays.- Enabling direct feed of solar array power to electrical propulsion systems. Description: Inorder to feed power generated by solar arrays directly…
BEAMFORMING BASED ON LOW-RESOLUTION, LOW POWER CONSUMPTION ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL CONVERTERS (ARTES AT 5C.512) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of the activity is to develop a beamforming concept based on low resolution and low power consumption Components of The Shelf (COTS) Analogue-to-Digital Converters (ADC). The developed concept will be implemented and tested in a combined software and hardware testbed. Targeted improvements: Improved energy efficiency by >50% thanks to the use of low resolution and low power ADC when compared to 10-12 bit resolution ADCs. Descr…
ATMOSPHERIC TURBULENCE EFFECT MITIGATION BY SECONDARY MIRROR ACTUATION (ARTES 4.0 SL SPL 6C.020)
Objective: The objective of this activity is to simplify optical feeder links systems in Optical Ground Stations by replacing the secondary mirror with an active (deformable) one and to demonstrate the improvement in transmission budget and complexity. Targeted Improvements: 30% increased optical throughput in optical communication ground stations. 20% reduction of complexity in adaptive optics and beam pre-distortion in feeder-link systems. R…
POWER MODULE FOR AUTONOMOUS SATELLITES (ARTES AT 4F.095)
The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test a power module that will be integrated in an autonomous spacecraftarchitecture.Targeted Improvements:Increase the level of onboard autonomy by 50% at overall platform level.Description: Current satellite operations require human intervention from ground, resulting in considerable inefficiencies and dependencies on communication window frequency, latency, and available resources,…
RESILIENT AND SECURE MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATIONS FROM UNMANNED AERIAL/MARITIME VEHICLES USING MULTIPLE UNRELIABLE NETWORKS (ARTES 4.0 4S SPL 3A.172) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of this activity is the design and demonstration of network protocols that can use multiple unreliable satellite and terrestrial networks for increased resilience and security for retrieval of multimedia data with multiple QoS classes from drones and unmanned maritime vessels. Targeted Improvements: This technique will allow at least 50% increase in the number of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) that can be supported in the same s…
IN-ORBIT EXPERIMENT OF A VLEO SATELLITE TO ENABLE PRECISE ORBITAL MODELLING AND SYSTEM SIZING (ARTES AT 3E.026) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of the activity is to develop high fidelity models to allow the mission design of satcom constellations in VLEO. An in-orbit experiment will be designed and manufactured to measure key geographically and time dependent atmospheric parameters (density, radiation, ionospheric, chemical composition etc..) as well as satellite flight parameters (including drag, solar cells efficiency, etc..). These measurements will enable the precis…
DRAG AND ATOMIC OXYGEN RESISTANT CARBON FIBRE REINFORCED POLYMER FOR VERY LOW EARTH ORBIT TELECOM SATELLITES (ARTES AT 4A.092) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of the activity is to develop and test a coating material (e.g. for substrates such as carbon fibre reinforced polymer, polymers, etc) with improved atomic oxygen and drag resistance to be used on the external satellite surfaces for very low Earth orbit applicationsTargeted Improvements:- Enabling technology not existing today; allowing telecommunication satellites with conventional construction materials in much lower orbits tha…
EUROPEAN CHIP INDUCTOR FOR POINT OF LOAD CONVERTERS IN TELECOMMUNICATION SATELLITES (ARTES 4.0 AT 5C.499)
The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test surface mount chip inductors enabling low voltage (down to 0.8 V range) stability, fast transient response, high-speed switching capability and efficient power conversion of point of load(POL) converters, as needed for next generation digital integrated circuits in telecommunication satellites.Targeted Improvements:- Enablinga European source.- 20% mass and volume reduction and 2…