Projects

The NODES project regards the development of a ground network for space to ground data transfer using optical communication, to solve the data bottleneck resulting from the continuously increased need of downlink capacity of foremost Earth Observation satellites. The network is composed of a network management centre and optical ground stations to allow high volume data transfers efficiently.

The main objective of the proposed activity is to develop and validate a solution to fully automate the commissioning of services in SatCom on-the-move mechanical terminals, without human intervention, addressing optimal radiofrequency performance and power transmission required by the Network Operations Center and minimizing interferences. It also enables remote recovery in many cases, removing the need for installers to revisit the site.

Development of a flexible and scalable navigation and sensor platform based on COTS components for high-end space applications. Beyond Gravity exploits the heritage gained in the development of several generations of spaceborne high-reliability GNSS receivers to establish a COTS-based platform to integrate GNSS with other sensors. The first instantiation of the platform is a high-performance multi-frequency GNSS receiver.

Design and development of a high gain deployable antenna dedicated to small satellites (3 to 28 kg range). The overall architecture is simplified as much as possible to reduce any possible source of defective actuation/deployment.

System design exercise attempting to define a future SatCom system topology that exploits the benefits of space elements on multiple orbits, such as GEO, MEO, and LEO, with interoperability with HAPS, UAV, and terrestrial based networks.

This project aims to enable 5G satellites nodes by extending terrestrial 5G network functions, protocols and SDN/MEC/edge computing and storage and distributed control and management concepts to space. Mechanisms to address the secure instantiation, control and management of the network functions on 5G satellite nodes will be addressed in order to enable optimised connectivity, coverage and capacity allocations.

Realise a K/Ka-band self-tracking antenna breadboard using state-of-the-art retrodirective antenna techniques. The retrodirective antenna allows the transmitted signal to be automatically sent back in the same direction as the received one without prior knowledge of the target position. The tracking is carried out in real time using hybrid analogue/digital processing without power hungry DSP tracking hardware.

This technology phase study aims to design, develop, manufacture and test an Advanced sliP Ring for hIgh vOltage Mechanism (APRIOM). This new generation of slip ring will be able to operate at voltages up to 400V, without electrical breakdown, allowing a considerable power gain and efficiency for the next generation of High Power spacecraft.

SATis5 aims to build a large-scale real-time live end-to-end 5G integrated satellite terrestrial network proof-of-concept testbed. The demonstrator testbed implements, deploys and evaluates an integrated satellite-terrestrial 5G network, showcasing the benefits of the satellite integration with the terrestrial infrastructures as part of a comprehensive communication system.

Relevant satellite use cases for 5G to be demonstrated in SATis5 include enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and massive machine type communications (mMTC). The SATis5 demonstrator covers live, over-the-air GEO and MEO satellite field demonstrations in addition to laboratory emulations and simulations in a federation of testbeds. The demonstrator is an open federation of resources that can integrate or incorporate additional resources and testbeds in the future providing a more diverse set of experiments and demonstrations.

Through its activities, HELENA supports the satellite communication community to engage with 3GPP in order to develop contributions and advocate positions favourable to the SatCom sector within the 3GPP standardisation process such that they result in tangible industrial opportunities.

The project gathers organizations from the satellite communication community each holding key positions in 3GPP and ETSI as contributors, rapporteurs of study items or chairmanship of Working Group.

Space based network infrastructure will very soon complement the terrestrial mobile networks that are currently being deployed based on 5G technologies standardised by 3GPP. This will allow satellite communications to become an integral part of the global telecommunications ecosystem strongly contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals for a better society and supporting sustainable growth for various industry sectors.

5G-COSMO project studied how to enable direct 5G satellite connectivity in smartphones. This feature is important for extending cellular network coverage significantly. Current and planned satellite systems together with smartphone capabilities were used as a starting point in analysis. Furthermore, technological gaps and challenges were identified based on which required technology roadmap was formed and over-the-air demonstration approaches identified.

SSC Space UK Ltd, with the support and cooperation of strategic partners from the rapidly developing “NewSpace” industry proposed to develop Global NewSpace Network Evolution (GNNetE) to offer an advanced technical solution capable of addressing the NewSpace industry constraints by delivering a more efficient, flexible, and economically viable ground segment and network operations solution.

The general objective of the activity is to identify promising services in case wearables can communicate directly with communications satellites within the next 5 years. Five short-term Proof-of-Concepts are demonstrated with current satellite IoT systems. 
The activity shall stimulate the discussions around wearable satcom and – more in general - shall trigger a notion that satcom could be economically an option for the wearable market.

To overcome data rate limitations of RF communication links, the TOmCAT consortium envisions optical free-space communication feeder links for next generation high throughput satellites. TOmCAT is a technology development project, facilitated by NSO and ESA, to enable such links to achieve Terabit/s Optical Feeder Links.

CTG completed a Definition Phase for a Multi-beam Ground Station concept in L and S Band for both high and low gain applications. The design creates multiple beams in large quantities and switches between them in an agile way for demanding non-GEO applications. A reduction in the ground infrastructure costs, and increased flexibility in the teleport sites selection are achieved.

Optical Ground Stations for optical and quantum communication are seeking for reliable, cost effective, commercial adaptive optics modules to reduce losses and improve key rate and data rates in applications including classical communication and QKD.
Officina Stellare with Dynamic Optics and ThinkQuantum are working to develop the prototype of such a modular, scalable adaptive optics module.

The safeguarding of high value assets always has been a topic in the space industry, but since hacktivism has become itself an industry and developing exploits can be done by script kiddies, the risk of being attacked is more eminent that ever. The cybersecure EGSE copes with these rising challenges by establishing a hardened EGSE platform based on the three industry standards ISO 27001, NIST 800-171 and IEC 62443-2-4;

Implementation on UniverSAS® (existing product) of some specific enhancements identified for Power SCOEs tailored for Telecom Satellites. UniverSAS® product was already successfully validated in over 50 Power and Launch SCOE systems.

A novel, frequency agnostic air interface for uncoordinated IoT communication over extremely low link margin satellite links having signal-to-noise-ratios down to below Ec/No = -40 dB, has been designed. Prototypes for an IoT terminal and an IoT gateway receiver were implemented, and the new air interface was demonstrated for two use cases.

The future of the Satcoms industries and its technologies, materials, and processes offers many opportunities for supply chains from a broad range of sectors. Other industries may have already resolved challenges and developed solutions from which the satcom sector can benefit.  This study identifies high potential technology transfer opportunities and develops a strategy to exploit a selected technology, whilst presenting several other viable concepts for further investigation post-project.

The SMART project targets the design, development, integration and operational verification of a holistic user and resource communication service manager platform. The SMART solution is envisioned as a web application tool, which enhances the Hellenic government satellite communications infrastructure (GreeCom) resilience, performance and security.

Mobile communications are highly dependable of satellite technology. Existing GEO and upcoming LEO/MEO orbits will offer great bandwidth, speed, coverage at reduced cost. On the ground segment, antennas must be prepared for this new scenario. Multi-beam, multi-orbit, high throughput, wideband, modular and scalable antenna with reduced SWaP-C is possible with our hybrid beamforming approach.

Two Q/V band antennas (6m and 10m) using advanced composite reflector technology are developed and tested using a broadband satellite payload.

CREOLA focuses on design (phase 1), assembly and verification (phase 2) of an industrial prototype Optical Ground Station (OGS) for Optical Feeder Links (OFL). There are three In-Orbit Demonstrations (IODs) planned to validate the OGS performance with the TELEO space terminal. The main goal is to validate the efficiency of (pre-) Adaptive Optics (AO) in the optical C-band for transmit and receive communications with a GEO satellite. 

INN3SCO addresses the study, definition, development and testing of access mechanisms to 5G networks via non-3GPP satellite systems. With this aim, Network Functions (NFs) already foreseen in 5G 3GPP release 15 and 16 for that scope (i.e., N3IWF, TNGF, etc.), and the associated multi-access methods (ATSSS), are reviewed, adapted and/or extended to support a non-3GPP satellite access.

The project has identified a cost effective technology to design,  manufacture and to test a low profile dual polarization/dual band (Ku and Ka) mobile antenna breadboard for railway and long range bus applications.

Development of the miniaturized laser transmitters for satellite-to-satellite, and satellite-to-ground communications.

The project aims to design, to manufacture and to test a low profile dual polarization/dual band (Ka and Q/V) mobile terminal, including a V-band Up-converter and a V-band High Power Amplifier (HPA), for Aeronautical applications.

With the Atlas KaLQ PFM contract, Kongsberg Space Electronics successfully delivered two PFM units, Ka/IF downconverter and IF/Ka Upconverter. The flight models were manufactured, tested and delivered for integration in the Columbus Ka-band Terminal (MDA). The terminal was later installed in the International Space Station and is providing wide bandwidth communication between the ISS and earth. The terminal has now passed one year of operation.

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

Development of a silicon RF integrated circuit for ka/Ku band consumer terminals offering high level of product integration.

The OSSI activity will demonstrate satellite-based IoT services in the frequency range 1500-5000 MHz. The satellite used, has a software defined radio (SDR) payload. The SDR payload offers high adaptability in transmission and reception. The payload will also have significant processing power allowing users to write radio functionality in high-level code and to conduct experiments and tests without having to launch their own satellite. The payload also has spectrum monitoring capabilities.

The SPAICE project aims to study, develop, and test AI-based signal processing techniques for satellite communications using COTS AI processors. Traded-off scenario candidates are interference mitigation, link adaptation, FEC, flexible payload and adaptive beamforming for regenerative satellites. The principal outcome of SPAICE is the AI Satellite Telecommunications Testbed (AISTT), a platform to test and demonstrate selected AI-accelerated scenarios.

This project covers development of novel fibre optic links to carry high frequency native RF signals over fibre in satellite ground segment installations.  Products for these operating environments are covered by tasks in this project.  The key driver of project activities is the shift occurring in the satellite industry as it moves towards High Throughput Satellites (HTS).

The objective of the C-DREAM project is to design, implement and evaluate a Radio Resource Management algorithm that shall provide the highest possible performance on a given constellation. The evaluation process was made by developing an end-to-end NGSO constellation simulator, that can simulate flexible payloads, non-uniform user demands and can also compute interferences.

MUATS - developed by Jena-Optronik - is a stand-alone camera sensor mounted on a satellite next to the optical communication terminal.

The sensor shall provide a high rate mapping of available optical communication terminals within its field of view to the spacecraft computer, to accelerate and simplify the acquisition and tracking of multiple optical communication terminals

The highly performant On Board Computer core unit is based on the rad-hard European NG-ULTRA/DAHLIA device. This technology allows to design a new generation computer offering a very compact and flexible solution for multi-mission applications.

The new generation Optical Solar Reflector that combines the high performance and durability of quartz OSRs with the easy handling and flexibility of Ag-FEP second surface mirrors, at fair costs.

The development of a slim-line Q/V-band Feed System EQM suitable for gateway applications in telecoms GEO VHTS systems.

The output of this study is a roadmap of payload equipment supporting flexibility in the 5G environment.