Development of a range of new high performance products for High Throughput Satellites (HTS) operating in K, Ka, Q and V bands and validation in a repeater subsystem demonstrator

The mission of the SECOPS definition study is to identify the set of security requirements and controls enabling protected delivery of configurable satellite communications services to meet government requirements for the new class of GOVSATCOM satellites and secure commercial communications, with a particular focus on the ‘Pooling and Sharing’ use case.

There is a growing interest in flexibility, suggesting that the telecom satellite with digital payload processors, will be an increasing market in the coming years. The digital payload processors need several technologies that are not readily available. The digital parts envisaged are power consuming with high currents at low voltages. This project focuses on the design of these power converters including adequate cooling of the parts.

The development of a new Software Defined Radio (SDR) platform designed for the implementation of high-end satellite communication applications. This is a new modular platform, with a carrier board mounted in a 19” rack mechanical enclosure and the capability of plugging powerful FPGA SoC modules, radio front-end modules, and high-speed DACs and ADCs into FMC+ connectors.

Quantum encryption based on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is an alternative to classical cryptography. It aims to solve the problem of key exchange by the use of physics and thus offers the potential of ensuring “unconditional secure” key exchange. Every attempt to eavesdrop on the key-exchange causes errors in the QKD protocol alerting the communicating parties of the attack.

The Aspire 400 satellite communication system provides safety voice and data services for the aircraft cockpit and in-flight, non-safety services for the aircraft cabin for business aviation, airlines and helicopters - anywhere in the world. Leveraging Inmarsat's satellite system, Aspire 400 brings greater connectivity, reliability, cost savings and efficiency, globally.

The CYBERSAT project aims at investigating the effects of the current and upcoming cyber security regulations issued at European level on future satellite communication (SATCOM) systems and services. The twofold objective is, on the one hand, to identify and analyse the cyber security regulations and to assess their impact on the design, development and operations of SATCOM systems; on the other hand, to identify new SATCOM service opportunities fostered by these regulations.

The RF product policy from Thales Alenia Space is built according to the expansion of the GaN power amplifier based on a vertical housing approach. In this frame, Thales Alenia Space proposed a study to develop and to qualify a C-band LC-SSPA using European GaN technology.

The objective of the STEDI project is the development, manufacturing, test and comparison of different technology concepts for user terminal Ku-/Ka-band dplxs using novel technologies, aiming at large-scale fabrication of RF compact filters compatible with planar and monolithic circuits.

A waveguide-based transmit (Tx) direct radiating array (DRA) operating in the Ku-band that is suitable for low earth orbit (LEO) applications is designed, manufactured, and RF tested. The designed passive aperture is fabricated monolithically by using selective layer melting (SLM) additive manufacturing (AM) technology and shows very good agreement with simulations.

Development of an innovative and light weight battery packaging made of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) integrating an individual cell replacement feature.

Development of a miniaturized space radiation monitor based on the hybrid active pixel detector technology

SIMO (Sige broadband Iq MOdulator) is a MMIC allowing direct conversion from baseband to an ultra-wide RF frequency (L band to Ka Band) enabling a new generation of compact, lightweight, and power efficient portable terminals.

RADIOSAT: a miniaturized K/Ka band transceiver for small satellites.

Four different frequency converter hybrids have been developed in the program. These converter hybrids can be used in payload equipment or in inter-satellite link applications.

The main approach of this study was to develop ancillary power supplies for a Power Processing Unit (PPU) for electric propulsion systems which provide a high grade of flexibility and modularity to serve a wide spectrum of thruster assemblies.

This project focuses on the development of a hermetically packaged, fiber coupled photodiode for Ka-band with a bandwidth larger than 20 GHz capable of handling incident optical input powers of 120mW. Such photoreceiver modules are key building blocks of photonic RF links with very high dynamic range that will be extensively employed in microwave photonic payload designs.

In satellite communication new frequency bands are being used to handle more and faster communication. For RUAG Space AB to remain a leading independent supplier of converters and receivers, being able to deliver space qualified converters operating above Ka-band is essential. The Ka/Q-Band Up Converter Programme objective is to complement and to further strengthen RUAG Space converter and receiver products by performing this activity in the Q/V Converter product area.

The objective of this project is to design and demonstrate solutions for compact and energy efficient Machine-to-Machine (M2M) user terminals for direct, massive uncoordinated access via satellite. A novel access scheme is developed for optimizing energy management at physical and access layer, looking at a global access network and targeting low duty cycle and volume traffic.

The Micro Remote Terminal Unit (μRTU) provides interfaces for telemetry acquisition, telecommand execution and power to peripheral units on board a satellite. These interfaces are implemented in a modular way that allows the prime of the satellite to change the number and configuration of interfaces according to mission specific needs without the need to change hardware.

The output of this system study is to determine the feasibility and limits of employing a large population of highly distributed small sized gateways to support future VHTS systems.

«Satellite trunking» is referring to very different services and usages. Here, we define trunking as the provision of high data rate point-to-point links for professional use. Up to now satellite trunking services (including mobile/cellular backhaul) are only provided by GEO satellites over regional coverage, with the notable exception of the equatorial O3B MEO constellation. Mega-constellations are developed to provide Internet access services to private customers. The future would be to rather use LEO/MEO constellations for the provision of high speed trunking services to professional customers. The question is : will be LEO/MEO constellations the right solution for the next generation of high speed trunking services

The Deployable and Pointing System (DPS) is a major feature of the OneSat innovative, fully reconfigurable, software defined, and standardized satellite for commercial telecommunication missions in geostationary orbit. As per the previous Eurostar series, it allows to maximize the efficiency of the propulsion system with very significant mass saving with respect to classical chemical propulsion systems.

Development of a high power receive/transmit Diplexer prototype for next generation Q/V-band ground stations with maximized spectrum utilization.

The project renews modem portfolio and enhances SatLink VSAT Network capabilities related to mobility, security, and bandwidth efficiency including upgrade of forward link to S2X with increased throughput.

The Carnot-Sat project aims to develop and validate a toolset which can be used in the planning and deployment of heterogeneous terrestrial/satellite networks, including optimisation, interoperability and network orchestration. It allows the quantitative design and evaluation of such networks and open up the market for satellites in 5G by focussing on the benefits to the terrestrial network operators.

The overall goal is for GateHouse to provide a fully commercial quality 3GPP 5G compliant NB-IoT NTN SW solution including the payload - and UE parts (available for chipset manufactures and for dedicated HW).

Smaller and smarter – this is the trend for mini- and nanosatellites. Upcoming missions - such as IOT, SATCOM, spectrum monitoring, AIS, ADS-B and EO - show an increasing demand of power-efficient on-board processing capabilities. This activity leverages on latest-generation COTS processing technology integrated in a robust, cost-efficient and flexible space product to boost your system performance.

Availability of broadband internet access has become a significant challenge in the development of the society and industry. Cloud services, big-data applications and global logistic businesses require secure, reliable, and fast internet coverage around the globe. Satellite communications can offer global coverage. Optical technologies are expected to play a major role for enabling the next generation of communication satellites.

For the ICEYE precursor mission, FOTEC is developing an electric propulsion system. It is based on FEEP (field emission electric propulsion) ion thruster technology. A cluster of seven identical IFM nano thruster modules is manufactured - each capable of delivering up to 350 µN thrust. This redundant design ensures high reliability and versatility of the propulsion system. The thrusters are commissioned and tested in-orbit, supported under this ARTES Competitiveness & Growth – Demonstration Phase – Atlas project.

Design, develop and test in an operational environment a shipborne VDES transceiver prototype that integrates the Automatic Identification System (AIS), VHF Data Exchange (VDE) and Application Specific Messaging (ASM) functionalities into one single unit.

One of the major obstacles that the NewSpace market is faced with, is the incompatible costs associated with the operations of the spacecraft and the management of the data through the ground network offerings. Moreover, the limited frequency spectrum, has a damping effect to the growth of this market, as it severely limits the number of spacecraft that is possible to share this spectrum and get the necessary ITU frequency allocation within timescales compatible with the aggressive schedules of this market. Project GNNetE aims to address those problems directly.

The project aims at reaching validation of CASTeC, a tool for advanced telemetry checking for satellites constellations, in an operational scenario (TRL 8). CASTeC provides early identification of anomalies in the behaviour of satellites relative to a contextualised standard, enabling fault isolation and mitigation strategies definition. It may also support the identification of critical operative conditions affecting service performance.

This project is a pathfinder mission in order for Oxford Space Systems to develop and fly the technological building blocks required for future unfurlable antennas. It is supported under ARTES Competitiveness & Growth – Demonstration Phase (Atlas). The objective of the project is to design, manufacture and test in orbit a 3.5m diameter C-band high gain reflector antenna flight unit for an Earth observation Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mission.

This ARTES Advanced Technology project aims to develop conductive thermoplastic secondary structure parts for telecom satellites. The parts are modeled according to real metallic baselines, and are verified in their relevant environment (technology readiness level 5). The goal is to significantly decrease part mass and lead time, while retaining conduction requiring applications.

To design, develop, validate and deliver a production-ready, multi-beam, low-profile, Ka band satellite ground terminal suitable for Land or Maritime mobility applications on GEO, MEO and/or LEO networks

The EuroSMG project consists of the design, manufacture, testing and qualification of an ITAR-free European Stepper Motor Gearbox (SMG). The EuroSMG contains no off-the-shelf sub-assemblies and is a full concept to qualification programme. The EuroSMG is designed to meet the requirements of a Solar Array Drive Mechanism (SADM) for the GEO Telecom Satellite market.

Artificially intelligent satellites and communication systems, once solely the province of science fiction, are now a reality. Recent advances have equipped the latest generation of space platforms with new levels of autonomy, awareness and resilience. CGI have partnered with the European Space Agency (ESA) and industry to develop the Autonomous Satellite Solutions (AUTSS) platform, an artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) accelerator for the Satcoms industry. CGI has created AUTSS to address the unique engineering challenges of Space. AUTSS combines CGI’s 50 years of experience in the European and North American Space industry with: optimised hardware; Machine-Learning-as-a-Service (MLaaS); and bespoke AI tooling. The platform offers substantial reductions in the cost, time and risk required to explore how AI can improve your business.

FDISmallGEO activities are to support further development and industrialization of the generic platform of the OHB SmallGEO Product Line in order to sustain the competitiveness of this platform.

Does moving telecommunications satellites to Very Low Earth Orbits make sense?

The limitations of mechanical pressure and flow regulation as used in heritage spacecraft propulsion systems, have had to be accepted together with their inherent limited capabilities simply due to the fact that fully proportional control has, until this point, not been technically possible. The Nammo Electronic Pressure Regulator system developed under this keystone ARTES 5.1 programme has enabled a step change to provide infinitely variable flow and pressure regulation at competitive cost to all spacecraft propulsion systems.

Project LightBar develops a communications-enabled lightbar that provides seamless hybrid communications for extended coverage, data reach and performance capability for emergency services and civil markets such as construction and utilities. The enhanced lightbar design is lightweight, low cost, low profile, small form factor and modular with a flexible design that provides: hybrid connectivity, satellite and cellular bonding, and resilient positioning.

SDR Makerspace is an initiative of the European Space Agency and Libre Space Foundation bringing together makers, open-source hackers, radio amateurs, researchers, from all over Greece and provide funding, resources, and a passionate community tackling together challenges in using Software Defined Radio for space communications, opening up space communications development to a wide variety of people, organizations and companies.

The EPJT project develops modular technologies for cost efficient space propulsion mechanism. Key-elements are a light and robust geared actuator, high-load carrying ball joints, a modular harness routing system across the mechanism.

Astro- und Feinwerktechnik Adlershof GmbH intendeds to enter new markets with its new state-of-the-art High Momentum Wheel RW6000. The smart reaction wheel provides a 100 Nms momentum capacity and an output torque of 0.2 Nm. Furthermore, it offers a digital interface with an embedded closed loop controller for higher accuracy and torque stability.

The development and testing of a prototype of an analog IF over digital IF acquisition/generation demonstrator for instantaneous signal bandwidth up to 5GHz, together with a set of data compression techniques to minimize the digital data rate required to transmit a given analog IF bandwidth over a terrestrial network, optimized for a selected couple of scenarios.

In this program, two replacement subunits of the LCT were developed and qualified. The units are the Fame Unit Structure (FUS) and the Telescope Unit (TLU). These units replace previous units and have to comply with the existing LCT design. This development took into account experience gained from the previous designs and handling to achieve a robust design and decrease overall cost of LCT while maintaining the known performance requirements. TLU and FUS have significant influence on the LCT mechanical design. Therefore, a LCT mechanical demonstrator (LMD) was built to qualify the required mechanical loads.

The technology and the fast growing number of spacecraft using Electric Propulsion got ahead the nowadays Flight Dynamics Systems, - slowly, yet surely - making them outdated. As a result, there is a need of a new Flight Dynamics System capable of computing faster and more accurately the curled trajectories described by the Electric Propelled Spacecraft.

The project MLSAT investigates the applicability of machine learning or in general, artificial intelligence techniques in the context of satellite communications. Potential machine learning (ML) use cases in the field of satellite communications are identified and proof-of-concepts (PoC) are demonstrated for selected scenarios.

Qualification of 150W C-Band RC and CC Traveling Wave Tubes