For planet earth and beyond
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.
END-TO-END ADAPTIVE OPTICS BI-DIRECTIONAL MODELLING TOOL FOR OPTICAL FEEDER LINKS (ARTES 4.0 SL SPL 6C.035) - EXPRO+
Objective: This activity aims at developing a modular software tool allowing to simulate the improvement from employing adaptive optics (AO) systems in bidirectional optical ground station (OGS) to satellites optical communication and quantum links scenarios (e.g. GEO, LEO, MEO). Targeted Improvements: 50% improvement of design time and computation time to dimension optical communication systems operating through atmospheric turbulence enhance…
NETWORK EMBEDDED HYBRID CONNECTIVITY OVER TERRESTRIAL AND SATELLITE 5G ACCESS (ARTES 4.0 SPL 5G/6G 3F.012)
Objective: The objective of this activity is to design, develop and test a 5G system to support upper layer Access Traffic Switching, Steering and Splitting (ATSSS) mechanisms relating a User Equipment (UE) data session across dual terrestrial and satellite 5G access, as well as over dual 5G satellite access.Targeted Improvements:- Enable dual 3GPP access- Significant part reduction - Network and device centric system- Enable 5G Core Network w…
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…
ARTES 4.0 SPL OPTICAL COMMUNICATION - SCYLIGHT: SPACE QUALIFIED FAINT PULSE LASER SOURCE FOR QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION (5G.003/SL.012)(ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
Objective:The objective of the activity is to develop and qualify a faint pulse laser source for space-based quantum key distribution systems.Targeted Improvements:Increase the technical readiness level of faint pulse laser sources suitable for quantum key distribution applications from 5 to 7. Description:Quantum key distribution systems using protocols based on faint laser pulses require a photon source emitting less than one photon per puls…
DEVELOPMENT OF A TESTBED TO ASSESS SPACECRAFT MATERIALS ROBUSTNESS AGAINST ATOMIC OXYGEN IN VERY LOW EARTH ORBIT ENVIRONMENT (ARTES AT 4A.101)
The Objective: The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture a testbed to determine materials behaviour of atomic oxygen fluence exposure representative in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) environment. With the help of the testbed, in a second step, an aerodynamic and oxygen fluence resistant coating will be developed and evaluated as needed for protection of exposed parts of the spacecraft to the VLEO environment.Targeted Improvements: E…
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…
PROTOCOL STACK ENABLING VOICE-CALL USING NON-TERRESTRIAL IOT WAVEFORM (ARTES 4.0 SPL 5G/6G 3F.013)
The objective of this activity is to develop the software protocol stack for Release 18 enhancements related to 5G New for Radio (NR) for Non-Terrestrial Networks. The software protocol stack development shall be based on a testbed considering both the User Equipment (UE) and g-NodeB (gNB) features and operational procedures.Targeted Improvements:Enable 5G NR NTN system performance simulations with the latest Release 18 modifications.Descripti…
MULTICAST OPTICAL HEAD UNIT (ARTES 4.0 SL SPL 5G.037)
Objective:The objective of the activity is to develop a space-based point to multipoint optical terminal.Targeted Improvements:The MOHU would reduce the number of required Optical Head Units by a factor greater than 2. The MOHU should target a mass and sizeless than x1.5 the mass and size of the combined individual Optical Head Units.Description:Today the implementation of simultaneous optical space to ground links (Optical Feeder Links) requi…
5G AUTOMOTIVE MAKERSPACE (ARTES 4.0 SPL 5G/6G 3F.010)
Objective: The objective of this activity is to design, develop and test automotive prototypes following 5GAA workplans and increase the number of companies working on automotive satellite communications by 30%. Targeted Improvements: Novel hand-over methods between satellite and terrestrial networks supporting use cases as formulated by 5GAA and miniaturised automotive terminal baseband units.Description: The 5G Automotive Association (5GAA)…
ARTES 4.0 SPL 4S 5A.087 REGENERATIVE TRANSPONDER WITH BUILT-IN SIGNAL SECURITY PROCESSING FOR USER AUTHORISATION
The objective of the activity is to develop technology to prevent non authorised usage of satellite communication bandwidth throughthe implementation and enforcement of on-board authentication protocols. During this activity+ a breadboard that implements such protocol will be developed in a laboratory environment.
MASS MEMORY UNIT WITH 100 GIGABIT PER SECOND WRITE RATE CLASS FOR LOW EARTH ORBIT COMMUNICATION APPLICATIONS (ARTES AT 5C.498) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of this activity is to design, manufacture and test a memory unit breadboard offering interface port and memory read and write speeds at 100 GigaBit per second and a capacity of at least 3 TeraBits for interconnected constellation telecommunication systems. Targeted Improvements: Improvement of the write speed by a factor of 10 compared to FLASH-based mass memories. Description:Future Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations with hig…
HANDOVER ENGINE AND TESTBED FOR SATELLITE-BASED 5G NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS (NTNS) (ARTES 4.0 SPL 5G/6G 3F.015)
The objective of this activity is to develop a machine learning (ML) engine that optimises handover between two different 5G networks, where at least one of them is a satellite-based non-terrestrial network (NTN). The activity will also provide the testbed to assess the handover key performance indicators in a laboratory environment.Targeted Improvements:Identify and avoid higher risk handovers improving thus the handover success rate to reach…
BEAM FORMING CHIP FOR DIRECT RADIATING ARRAY ANTENNAS FOR W-BAND FEEDER LINKS (ARTES AT 5C.457) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of this activity is to design, manufacture and test an engineering model of a beam forming network chip to support direct radiating array antennas in W-band for future receive chain feeder links in ultra-high throughput satellite telecommunication payloads.Targeted Improvements: Enabling technology for reconfigurable antennas in W-band for ultra-high-throughput satellite feederlinks (at least 1 Tbit/s throughput) not existing tod…
WEATHER-PROOF OPTICAL COMMUNICATION GROUND TERMINAL (ARTES 4.0 SL SPL 6C.050 ) EXPRO PLUS
The objective of this activity is to evaluate the pros and cons of a weather-proof optical ground terminal (without protective domeenclosure) and to breadboard critical sub-systems. Targeted Improvements:At least 50% faster optical ground station deployment.Description:Today telescopes for ground based free-space optical satellite communication are originating from astronomical telescopes. The current need for optical ground telescopes has cha…
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.
SOLAR ARRAY WITH LATCHED SHALLOW CURVED SURFACE FOR IMPROVED DEPLOYED STIFFNESS (ARTES AT 4F.161) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of the activity is to develop, manufacture and test a latch to enhance the deployed stiffness of an existing array, by means of a slight repositioning of panels. Targeted Improvements: Increase the frequencies of the deployed array by 30%.Description: Most telecommunication solar arrays comprise in-line panels, arranged in a row. Some include lateral panels, forming a cross configuration. In the case of the latter, the frequency…
COMPACT, HIGH TEMPERATURE AND MODULAR 100 W-CLASS ELECTRONIC POWER CONDITIONER FOR KU- AND KA-BAND TRAVELLING WAVE TUBES (ARTES AT 5C.514)
The objective of this activity is to develop and test a modular 100W-class Ku- and Ka-band universal compact Electronic Power Conditioner (EPC) based on MHz-range switching frequency, high temperature, wide bandgap technology and planar magnetics. This will include an efficient thermal management design.Targeted Improvements: - Mass, footprint and volume reduction up to 30% whilst maintaining efficiency comparable to current state of art.- Com…
FAST LOCKING FLANGE FOR WAVEGUIDE CONNECTIONS (ARTES AT 6B.094) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of this activity is to design, develop and test a device that will enable fast (almost instantaneous) connection of two waveguides eliminating need for laborious removal and reinstallation of numerous nuts and bolts from the waveguide flanges. The connection achieved with this assembly shall demonstrate high reliability both in mechanical and electrical aspects and minimise the risk of assembly error. Targeted Improvements:- 95%…
POWER EFFICIENT ONBOARD ANALOGUE PHOTONIC INTERCONNECTS FOR HIGH THROUGHPUT SATELLITES (HTS) (ARTES 4.0 SL SPL 5F.050)
The objective of the activity is to develop very low power analogue photonic interconnects for linking antennas to the on-board digital processor in high throughput satellites, also in view of an all-optical satellite implementationTargeted Improvements:Increase connector density by 100% through the replacement of the coaxial cable connectors with multi-fibre connectors, more than halvingthe harness mass and volume linking the antennas to the…
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.
DEVELOPMENT OF A SOFTWARE BASED GENERIC OPTICAL GROUND STATION MODEL (ARTES 4.0 SL SPL 6B.126)
The objective of this activity is to develop and test a software platform acting as an abstraction layer between the optical groundstation software client and the various software and hardware modules and their interfaces. Software implementation to be agnostic to operating systems and shall be based on object-oriented techniques to enable creation of a generic optical ground station model prior to programming. Testing shall and use commercial…
BREADBOARDING OF CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR A MULTI-BEAM SATELLITE RECEIVER FOR AIRCRAFT MODE-S SIGNALS (ARTES 4.0 4S SPL 5A.082) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of the activity is to design, develop and test payload technologies compliant with multi-beam receivers for satellite-based air traffic surveillance. Critical breadboarding will be carried out to demonstrate the concept suitable for use on small satellites in LEO or MEO. Targeted Improvements: 50% reduced payload power consumption, mass and volume compared to current technology.Increase the probability of message detection by a f…
IN ORBIT EXPERIMENT OF AUTONOMOUS DEPLOYMENT AND EARLY OPERATIONS FOR TELECOM CONSTELLATION SATELLITES (ARTES AT 3E.024) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of this activity is to design and perform an in-orbit experiment investigating autonomous deployment and early operations for telecom constellation satellites. This includes the development of command and data-handling hardware as well as AI/ML based operational algorithms developed on-ground.Targeted Improvements: Increase of onboard autonomy by 50% (i.e. include the key number of autonomous functions), including attitude acquis…
HIGH EFFICIENCY SILICON-BASED AMPLIFIER FOR KA-BAND USER TERMINALS (ARTES AT 7B.067) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of this activity is to design, manufacture and test Ka-band high efficiency amplifier monolithic microwave integratedcircuit (MMIC) based on silicon technology for user terminals. Targeted Improvements:- Amplifier power added efficiency above 30% with a noise power ratio of 15 dB minimum- Key building block for future highly integrated Ka-band user terminal active antennas. Description:The satcom market requires highly integrated…
KA-BAND TRANSMIT SPARSE ACTIVE PHASED ARRAY AND BEAMFORMING NETWORKS FOR NGSO USER LINKS (ARTES AT 5B.240)
The objective of this activity is to design, manufacture and test a partial RF breadboard of a transmit Ka-band, active phased array antenna and associated beamforming network for user links NGSO, exploiting irregular layouts for the radiating elements and beamforming networks.Targeted Improvements: In comparison to a standard, fully populated array:- 25% reduction in the number of active controls,- 5% increase in the DC to RF power efficiency…