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.

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.

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.

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.

«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 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 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 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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites are flying in an altitude between 200km and 2000km above Earth and hence are limited in the amount of time they are visible to a ground station (typically around 20 minutes). This is limiting the amount of data that can be exchanged. However if the data is relayed to a geosynchronous-Earth-orbit (GEO) satellite, the available LEO satellite data transmission time (and amount of data) can be drastically increased.

This project covers the design and the development of the link and network layer mechanisms required to support end-to-end unicast data connectivity over inter-satellite links in small satellite constellation networks. SPIDER stands for Small Platform Inter-satellite Data Exchange Routes, being an obvious reference to the spider’s ability to create webs, which is precisely the purpose of this project.

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

Development of a 3 axis arm supporting GIE thruster.

Since satellite operators aim for more bandwidth to increase data throughput and capacity new system and payload concepts are required, leading also to the demand for new equipment. One promising option to increase capacity for HTS systems is moving the feeder link from Ka-band to Q/V-band. The focus of this activity targets the development of Q-band linearisers.

On-board handling of higher-layer protocols via an ad-hoc router device makes it possible to provide satellite connectivity completely by-passing the (possibly) clogged/compromised terrestrial infrastructure, to facilitate IP mobility, to reduce traffic load on satellite uplinks by deploying IP multicasting on board the satellite, and to provide true packet-by-packet end-to-end connectivity between satellite terminals in meshed configuration or ISL environment.

Mx-SAT is a C&G Technology project that covers research tracks on efficiency and scalability improvements for the Newtec Dialog® system containing the platform and terminals. The Newtec Dialog® platform is a multiservice satellite communications platform that allows satellite service providers to build and adapt their network easily as their business grows.

SatNEx IV activities aim to study medium/long term directions of satellite telecommunication systems for any of the commercial or institutional applications that can be considered appealing by key players but still not mature enough for attracting industry or initiating dedicated ESA R&D activities.

This technology phase study aims to develop the Thales Alenia Space generic and highly competitive avionics product for future satellite platforms. It includes OBC-core unit with the rad-hard technologies NG-ULTRA that embeds a R52 quad-core ARM-based MPSoC and the largest space FPGA.
The OBC-core constitutes, together with the modular Avionics Centralized Electronics and High Power Unit, the backbone of Thales Alenia Space future avionics.

The Airbus Next Generation Solar Array (NGSA) is based on a hybrid solar array concept which combines rigid backbone panels with lightweight semi-rigid lateral panels. This ARTES 5.2 project covers the low TRL development activities for the main components of the new Solar Array layout, such as mechanical components to accommodate and release the semi-rigid substrates, semi-rigid PVA design, system level design and analyses as well as the design and engineering testing of the panel stack.