Description
The objective of the activity is to design a system concept based on distinct transmit-only and receive-only satellites for the user link. The goal is to enable at the system level simultaneous two-way low data rate communication services such as Internet of Things, messaging, and VDES operating in frequency range from VHF to C-band. The system concept will be implemented and tested in an end-to-end system testbed. This includes the user terminal and a protocol for transmit and receive data and signalling (including synchronisation) via separate uplink and downlink satellitessTargeted Improvements: Extending the current half duplex capability of satellite based low data rate services to full use of the spectrum at the system level for the uplink and downlink that does not existtoday.Description: The design and deployment of emerging non-geostationary satellite constellations for low data rate services such as Internet of Things (IoT), messaging, and VHF Data Exchange Systems (VDES), heavily depend on the availability and accessibilityof the frequency spectrum. Unlike many traditional satellite communication systems where the frequency allocation for the satelliteuplink and downlink is separated, there are frequency bands, at the lower frequency range below 6 GHz, where the same frequency (orclosely located frequency spectrum) are allocated for the uplink and downlink. The simultaneous use of the frequency for the transmit and receive (from the satellite point of view) could significantly improve the overall system capacity. However, full-duplex simultaneous transmission and reception on-board of a satellite introduces challenges in transceiver due to the self-interference and potential front-end saturation.This activity will study systems in the bands from VHF to C-band for which the data and signalling downlink and uplink are routed via different satellites. This will allow to reduce the on-board design complexity (size, mass, accommodation, and computation) at a single satellite while sharing frequency spectrum (same frequency or adjacent frequency) for the transmission and reception at the system level (via distinct transmit-only and receiver-only satellites with possibly inter-satellite links). Considering the baseline air interface protocol, spatial diversity techniques compatible and complementary to the state-of the art air interface protocol for user links of data and signalling and synchronisation will be developed. A system testbed will be designed and key performance parameters including the duty cycle for the transmission and reception, protocol overhead, link availability and system capacity will be tested. The user terminal will be part of the system end-to-end testbed.Procurement Policy: C(2) = Arelevant participation (in terms of quality and quantity) of non-primes (incl. SMEs) is required. For additional information pleasego to:http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Business_with_ESA/Small_and_Medium_Sized_En…