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.
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…
ARTES 4.0 SPACE SYSTEMS FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY (4S) ROLLING WORK PLAN 2020-2021
1. Introduction.Four new technology and product development activities are added in 2021, that have already been identified as useful to the foreseen development of next-generation 4S solutions over the coming years. These work plan activities will be issued under the legal framework of the ARTES 4.0 Strategic Programme Line (SPL) Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S).2. ImplementationPhasing: phasing of the contractual activities may be…
HANDOVER, DATA ROUTING AND RADIO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR VERY LOW EARTH ORBIT (VLEO) BROADBAND CONSTELLATIONS (ARTES 4.0 AT 3C.043)
The objective of this activity is to develop and test handover, data routing and radio resource management techniques for a broadband satellite constellation in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). The techniques will be implemented, and their performance assessed in a software system testbed. Targeted Improvements:Enabling system techniques for VLEO broadband systems not existing today in ESA member states.Description: The VLEO orbit is now the centr…
INTEGRATED ACCESS-BACKHAUL NODES FOR AUTONOMOUS AND RECONFIGURABLE SATELLITE-TERRESTRIAL 5G/6G NETWORKS (ARTES SPL 5G 7A.072)
The objective of the activity is to develop and test an engineering breadboard of a satcom access/backhaul node capable of responding to changing link conditions facilitated by reconfigurable, regenerative, and software-defined payloads. The activity will also provide the system demonstrator to test the breadboard and to assess the performance in a laboratory environment.Targeted Improvements: Adding flexibility to integrated satcom nodes need…
GREEK CONNECTIVITY OPTICAL GROUND STATIONS
Short activity description: This activity will convert three astronomical sites in Greece (Helmos on the Peloponnese, Skinakas on Crete and Holomondas near Thessaloniki) into optical ground stations (OGS) that shall be able to perform optical communication and quantum key distribution operations. Those operations will initially not be required 24/7 and it must be possible to (quickly) change their optical configurations back to perform astrono…
ON CHIP INTEGRATED POWER CONVERTER FOR ADVANCED FIELD PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAYS (ARTES AT 5C.440) (RE-ISSUE)
The objective of this activity is to design, manufacture and test an on-chip integrated power converter for high performance Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) applications to reduce size and footprint. Targeted Improvements: 50% reduction in FPGA application footprint, fourfold increase in reliability and 20% increase in efficiency. Description: Currently external power supplies are used to power FPGAs in space applications. This limits the…
RADIO SPECTRUM SITUATIONAL AWARENESS FUNCTIONS EMBEDDED IN TELECOMMAND/TELEMETRY RECEIVERS (ARTES 4.0 4S SPL 5C.481)
The objective of the activity is to develop RF situational awareness functions for telemetry and telecommand receivers. Algorithms and a test-bed shall be developed and experimentally tested in laboratory conditions based on several representative operational cases.Targeted Improvements: Enabling interference and signal identification and classification using telecommand and telemetry signals. Description:Information obtained from RF (Radio Fr…
SINGLE-CHIP 71-86 GHZ TRANSCEIVER RFIC FOR AERONAUTICAL SATCOM APPLICATIONS (ARTES AT 6A.074) (ON DELEGATION REQUEST)
The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test an integrated W-band transceiver Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) configurable as transmitter and receiver covering the 71-86 GHz band for aeronautical satcom applications. Targeted Improvements: Enable satellite aeronautical broadband services in W-band. Description: The maturity of Silicon technologies allows for the implementation of multifunctional and reconfigurable…
CRITICAL FUNCTIONS CONTROLLER FOR LOW EARTH ORBIT SATELLITES (ARTES AT 4G.036)
The objective of this activity is to develop and test a critical function controller for On-Board Computers (OBC) for new space, Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components-based missions. A reusable IP core will be developed that will be able to perform critical OBC functions, such as provide communication with ground stations, allow ground control access for deorbiting and act as a controller for the main OBC, thus increasing overall reliabil…
SCALABLE PUBLIC KEY INFRASTRUCTURE CONCEPT FOR LARGE CONSTELLATION SECURE COMMUNICATIONS (ARTES 4.0 4S SPL 3D.016)
The objective of the activity is to study, design, develop and test a scalable and future proof Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) concept for a telecommunications system based on a large constellation including concept of interconnection with other space and terrestrial systems. The PKI shall allow the authentication of users (on ground and in space) by means of asymmetric cryptography (classical and post-quantum) as well as the definition of gr…
SUPPORT TO QUIC STANDARDISATION (ARTES FPE 1D.019)
Satellite communication links have specific characteristics that undermine the performance of commonly used Internet protocols, notably TCP, in part because performance over satellite was not a major consideration during the development of those protocols. Specifically, the long propagation delay imposed by GEO satellite links and their asymmetric nature lead to poor TCP performance. Unless addressed, this can result in a poor user experience,…
AUTONOMOUS AND ROBUST ATTITUDE AND ORBIT CONTROL SYSTEM OF VERY LOW EARTH ORBIT SATELLITES (ARTES 4.0 AT 4C.067)
The objective of the activity is to design, develop and evaluate an Attitude and Orbit Control Subsystem (AOCS) and software to enable autonomous control and operation of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites, which is robust to the uncertain and variable environment. Targeted Improvements: Enabling autonomous orbit control of satellites in VLEO, where the use of specific spacecraft control techniques is required to cope with the uncertain an…
IAP.KS.PT.000 PROPTECH - KICKSTART
Property Technology, or "PropTech", is a term that encompasses the application of information technology and platform economics to real estate markets. PropTech has proliferated over the last 35 years initially due to the development of mainframe and personal computers, tools such as Lotus and Excel, more comprehensive software solutions for architecting, engineering and construction, and finally the Internet era and online marketpla…
Q/V BAND DIRECT QUADRATURE DEMODULATOR RF INTEGRATED CIRCUIT (ARTES 4.0 AT 5C.497)
The objective of this activity is to design, develop and test an Engineering Model of a Direct Quadrature Demodulator Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) operating in Q/V band for feeder link active antenna applications where digital beam forming is used.Targeted Improvements:Compared to standard heterodyne down conversion approach: - Reduction in power consumption by 10%- Reductionof mass and volume by 50%.Description: Future Q/V- band…
AI FOR OPTIMAL RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR GOVSATCOM SERVICES (GSHE-1)
This activity aims at the definition of an AI model to accurately forecast future demand for governmental/institutional satellite communication services and allocate resources more efficiently.The activity will be processed in Open Competition, subject to ESA's procurement rules and procedures adapted as per Financial Framework Partnership Agreement (FFPA) and Contribution Agreement and the tasks entrusted to ESA for GOVSATCOM.
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…
RECONFIGURABLE ANTENNAS FOR MOBILE TERMINALS BASED ON ACTIVE ACTUATORS (ARTES 4.0 AT 7C.080)
The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test a Ku- or Ka-band transmit or receive antenna based on reconfigurable actuators for large mobile terminals connected to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.Targeted Improvements:Enabling reconfigurable terminal antennas with scan angles up to 50-60 degrees exploiting active actuators like pin or varactor diodes, MEMS and other possible actuators with an overall antenna thickness belo…
BEYOND 5G (B5G) AND 6G NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS EDGE COMPUTING SATELLITES (ARTES 4.0 SPL 5G/6G 3A.184)
The objective of the activity is to study and define a technical and deployment roadmap for edge-computing-enabled Beyond 5G (B5G) and 6G space infrastructure. Use cases of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) edge computing will be selected and a corresponding demonstrator will be breadboarded and tested.Targeted Improvements: Enabling edge-computing-capable space infrastructure.Description:The Beyond 5G (B5G)/towards 6G roadmap is rapidly evolving…
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…
MODULAR HIGHLY INTEGRATED PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA FOR FUTURE LEO CONSTELLATIONS (GSHE-4)
This activity will demonstrate the critical functionalities of an electrically large phased array antenna produced as the combination of modules with distributed functionalities. The activity will be processed in Open Competition, subject to ESA's procurement rules and procedures adapted as per Financial Framework Partnership Agreement (FFPA) and Contribution Agreement and the tasks entrustedto ESA for GOVSATCOM.
CYBER-RANGE TESTBED FOR SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS PHYSICAL AND DATA LINK LAYERS (ARTES 4.0 4S SPL 3D.019)
The objective of the activity is to study, design and develop a cyber testing tool to support a comprehensive analysis of security and privacy risks of satellite communication systems. A testbed comprising computers, custom software in order to probe terminals for vulnerabilities, communication channel emulators, will be developed.Targeted improvements: Enabling data link and physical layer vulnerability testing and training in simulated satco…
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%…
GREEN RECEIVER ARCHITECTURES AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR SATELLITE TV BROADCAST AND BROADBAND SERVICES (ARTES 4.0 AT 7B.073)
The objective of this activity is the design, development and test of a more energy efficient receiver hardware architecture at system level. The activity shall include the investigation of more efficient receiver hardware design, use of narrower time slices and waveforms aimed at reducing demodulator complexity and produce a breadboard prototype.Targeted Improvements:50% energy reduction in receivers in TV broadcast and broadband user termina…
5G NEW RADIO (NR) NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS CONTROL PLANE DEMONSTRATOR FOR NGSO CONSTELLATIONS - EXPRO PLUS (ARTES 4.0 SPL 5G/6G 3A.181)
The objective of this activity is to analyse the control plane procedures and signalling in 5G New Radio (NR) standard and adapt itto the peculiarities of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) based on Non-Geo Stationary Satellite Systems and test it via a demonstrator.Targeted Improvements: New capability related to the design of 5G NTN control plane not existing today in ESA member states.Description:In recent years, several players from both satel…
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…