A satellite communications antenna which fits snugly into the wing of a UAV or ‘Remotely Piloted Aircraft’ (RPA) for use in long-range missions has now ‘got its wings’  – giving the green light for a variety of civilian applications across the globe.  

Innovative ideas to use space to improve life on Earth during the coronavirus pandemic are being transformed into reality, thanks to an initiative sponsored by the Italian Ministry for Technological Innovation and Digitalisation, the Italian Space Agency and ESA.

Telecommunication satellites are demanding ever-increasing power for new technologies. This makes ever-more efficient and lightweight solar generators a must for full electric propulsion satellite platforms. 

AZUR SPACE, German-based company and European leader for multi-junction solar cells, rose to the challenge of developing and qualifying a new cell to meet this rapidly evolving brief. With the support of the ARTES C&G programme, the ‘4G32C’ solar cell has trumped AZUR’s own best-selling product as the first upright metamorphic 4J (4 junction) cell on the market for high end-of-life efficiency in geostationary orbit applications.

Data-hungry media, like HDTV and mobile services, have made the use of satellites and their broadcasting capabilities crucial for global communications. But in order to offer these services there is a growing number of satellites required, crowding the geostationary arc. This then increases the risk of interference. Atos IT Solutions and Services GmbH, Austria, have sought to address this with ARTES support, introducing a powerful new VSAT Monitoring and Geolocation product.

The Eurostar Neo Deployment and Pointing System, developed by Airbus Defense and Space (F) and Euro Heat Pipes (B) in the frame of ESA’s Neosat Partnership Project, is qualified and ready for flight.

Under ESA’s Competitiveness & Growth programme, Airbus (Ottobrunn, D) is qualifying a new family of hybrid solar arrays that is capable to deliver approximately ≈ 50% more power in the same volume and with the same weight as previous generations. This new subsystem will be a key asset of the new Eurostar Neo platform, developed within ESA's Partnership Projects.

The Glaswegian-built nanosatellites join a fleet of about 100 objects in low Earth orbit that help to predict the movement of the world’s resources, so that businesses and governments can make informed decisions.

The two machine-learning capable satellites were launched on a Russian Soyuz launcher, alongside two further satellites that will be used to forger inter-satellite links. These connections allow satellites to act as relays, sending data to one another and down to ground stations, which cuts the time between data collection and its delivery to customers.

Telecommunications are becoming increasingly crucial to our society, economy and security. ESA is supporting the European satellite communication industry’s efforts to identify how to meet future worldwide demands for more secure and resilient digital systems.

Several thousand novel heat pipes are now being produced each year by Belgian company Euro Heat Pipes, following its participation in ESA’s Eurostar Neo Partnership Project. Working with satellite manufacturer Airbus, Eurostar Neo is dedicated to developing, qualifying and validating Airbus’ next-generation satellite platform for the core satellite communications market.