Projects

The primary objective of ESA under the Alphasat Programme is to facilitate an early first flight, and in-orbit validation of the Alphabus platform, currently under development with industry.

The aim of the activity is to manufacture two 3P modules with VES180SA-Alternate cells (LF3) and then perform one accelerated life-test under Astrium conditions and another one under TAS conditions.

This project aims to develop a highly flexible and modular SNS on top of an open-source simulator to be distributed to industrial and academic organizations for use in future ESA activities.

The objective is to demonstrate extreme power handling at Ka Band using advanced RF, Mechanical, and Thermal design to build and test a proof of concept output multiplexer.

The project is aimed at developing a Ka-Band transmit antenna concept able to handle a high number of beams with flexibility-oriented capabilities such us power allocation, null fixing or beam hopping.

JANUS Phase 1 study is aimed to verify a well set of needs and a baseline design for the antenna system that TeS intend to offer to the market of broad band satellite communications services and that shall be able to operate either in Ka- or in Ku-band according to user and service operators agreement.

This project seeks to achieve two general goals. Firstly, to demonstrate the simplification for standard fixed satellite installations, resulting in cost savings for an installer company and ultimately in a self-aligning antenna system fit for self-installation by the end user. Secondly, to remove cost barriers for a wide range of applications by implementing a low-cost, vendor-independent and self-aligning antenna system.

The Lift Off project is identifying and implementing a solution based on the Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) of the IP traffic on the KA-SAT network, to enable a “flat” profile offering for applications such as Web browsing and email in a market context (Satellite Broadband) where such an offering does not currently exist.

The intention of the proposed development is to design, develop, manufacture and market a ferrite based LNA redundancy switch capability which is European sourced, non ITAR, and with guaranteed future supply.

The project concerns the development and qualification of two modules of the Payload Distribution and/or Interface Units. This development will increase the range of potential Platforms that can implement this unit and will avoid problems with export restrictions (ITAR free design).

The previous ARTES 5.2 phase of this project developed four types of quartz crystal oscillator for the space market, with improved performance compared to existing products: an ultra-stable oscillator based on an existing Airbus product; a smaller, cheaper OCXO; a TCXO; and a new VCXO product. An EM of each oscillator was completed and this phase of the programme developed an EQM model of each oscillator type that was fully tested to space qualification.

The project aims to design, develop and industrialise a Payload Interface Unit (PLIU), which is the equipment that acts as an interface between the satellite central computer and the telecommunication payload for all types of TM/TC lines as well as heater interfaces.

The SATCOM rail project addresses the specification of a framework for the introduction and authorisation of Satellite Communications in support of railway safety and liability critical applications and services.

This project will evaluate the standards currently proposed used for the software development in the Iris programme, in addition to comparing them and defining a best-practise and methods for applying the standards.

A new software tool for the RF design of high-gain reflector antennas is being developed. It targets rotationally symmetric reflector systems that cannot be accurately and/or efficiently modelled with existing tools.

This study investigates a wide range of techniques and technologies for Ka band (and possibly Q/V bands) for providing higher capacity, more flexible next generation satellite broadband systems.

The aim of this project is to identify disruptive technologies for the space sector or Disruptive Space Technologies that could be integrated within platforms of geostationary telecommunication satellites in the next 10 years.

The objective of this program is to design and qualify power dividers for space application in the Ku and K band.

The aim of the project is to design, build and perform a breadboard demonstration of a closed loop regenerative H2/O2 fuel cell system corresponding to 15 years of a telecom satellite in orbit.

The overall objective of this activity was to define and assess novel methods for DGR intercostal posts that minimize the impact on the RF-path i.e. mitigate the reflection, diffraction and blockage induced by them.

In this project a proof-of concept composite tank using a non-metallic liner was developed and demonstrated with an engineering model. The verification of design and materials was done analytically by FE analysis and experimentally by testing.

The aim of the INCAS project is to develop a fully redundant EM Innovative Contactless Angular Sensor to be embarked on TLC satellites, also including suitable signal conditioning electronics.

The objective of the activity is to develop a low cost, miniaturised antenna unit for automotive applications suitable for S-band Mobile Satellite Systems based on DVB-SH and in particular suitable for the systems of the two European S-band licensees Solaris Mobile and Inmarsat.

The aim of this program was to develop a product which will be suitable for use with mono-propellant thrusters with thrust levels of up to 200N (ex: Ariane 5 SCA thruster valves) and bi-propellant thrusters up to 650N (ex: LEROS engine range).

The main objectives of the FBAR (Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator) activity are to establish technologies, manufacturing processes and design methods for filters utilizing FBAR resonators.

The scope of the project is to develop a terminal able to cope with all the technical and commercial requirements related to the data full-duplex communication 'on the move' in a car application.

The objective of the project is the assessment of new filter design concepts based on dielectric technology for L- and S-band applications to improve performances mainly in terms of mass and volume minimization.

UBISAT uses micro cell and satellite technology to dramatically reduce the capital expenditure required to deploy cellular coverage to remote areas.

This study addresses the request to investigate antenna architectures able to shield a single selectable transponder channel of 36 MHz by the modification of an existing payload for broadcasting coverage application.

The aim of this project is to design, manufacture and test an EM of a low cost single channel downconverter from 30 to 20 GHz.

The FENICE project aims at developing an innovative, enhanced AIS receiver able to improve significantly the low probability of detection of AIS messages from a LEO satellite.

The FENICE product is designed and developed on the base of the excellent results coming from the ESA AIS System Study (in which CGS and CNIT are involved for the space segment and AIS receiver design).

The FENICE development provides a complete evaluation about the proposed AIS receiver complexity and performances.

The project aims to design, develop and qualify a PDCU for Satcom Constellation, essentially for the small satellites market.

The objective of this project is to develop the introduced and well-proven Media Fleet Manager software to support the needs of service providers and large broadcasters.

The objective of the Compact Converters Programme is to complement and to further strengthen RSE´s generation of converter and receiver products.

The main objective of the present project is the design and development of a Mobility Testing Environment (MTE) for the validation and verification of an Air-Ground Router (AGR).

The project involves the analysis, design, implementation and validation of a fully passive and highly accurate ranging system for geostationary satellites.

The intention of this project was to move the centralized functionality of our Wireless-To-Go™ pre-pay platform into the Cloud, in order to be able to support local ISPs offering pre-pay Internet services to their customers.

Within the OADT project, SwissOptic is developing two high performance optical assemblies, which form a substantial part of the reception and calibration path of Laser Communication Terminals for the European Data Relay Satellite system.

The project objective is to develop circulators and isolators with coaxial interface for various frequency bands from C-band downlink to Ka-band downlink.

Taking advantage of the upgrading of the Spacecraft Computer Unit (SCU) towards a more optimized architecture, EADS Astrium is currently designing and developing a new security function for the Telecommand (TC) link between the Ground and Space segments.