An EQM-Level Optical passenger payload in-orbit demonstrator of Photonic Technology for On-board Reference and LO distribution by optical links has been designed and manufactured. Two optical links operating at 10 MHz and 10 GHz, including 10 meters fibre and a power splitter, have been integrated in the HISPASAT Amazonas 5 satellite, successfully launched and tested in orbit in 2018.

Ultra-low-shock reusable non-explosive hold-down and release mechanism for preload up to 10kN, with SMA initiator that provides repeatable, reliable release.

For the IFM Nano Thruster Module, FOTEC uses an electric propulsion system based on FEEP (field emission electric propulsion) ion thruster technology. The thruster uses Indium as the propellant, which is ionized through a strong electric field. Lifetime testing has exceeded 18,000 hours and the thrust level is controllable from 10μN-1mN with a specific impulse ranging from 2,000-5,000 seconds.

The project examines the impacts and opportunities of 5G for the satellite industry, as a technology building block to be integrated within 5G that can complement terrestrial technologies, as an enabler for innovative satellite-based solutions and as a lever to capture new markets.

The scope of this project is the development of a low-cost Xenon Storage Tank for the electric propulsion system that equips the platform of a LEO mega-constellation.

Software for a COTS-based GNSS receiver

AlN is an interesting new material for TWTs. Nevertheless, the requirements for space, like long-term stability and reliability are stringent for the AlN and need to be secured. This requires a good understanding of the material and the knowledge of the complete processing, including the material source. Long-term reliability had been fostered by a common approach – together with the supplier.

The developed product is a Technology Demonstrator of the Metal Hydride (MH) Hydrogen and Heat Storage System for use in future telecom satellites as part of a Regenerative Fuel Cell System. Thermal management is one of the key challenges with the RFCS, due to the significant amount of fuel cell waste heat that must be dissipated, which has a big impact on the total system mass and volume. By using a metal hydride system for hydrogen storage, waste heat from the fuel cell can be stored in the metal hydride material, and later rejected with a lower heat flux, over a longer time span.

VEGA will introduce DVB-S2X capabilities into the Newtec Dialog multiservice platform as well as developed the high performant MDM5000 modem as addition to the Newtec modem portfolio.

This project aims for an advanced air interface demonstrator able to support the development of future broadband mobile interactive services for land-mobile, maritime and aeronautical applications.

The project covers extensions to the CCS5/SCS5 product to allow control of satellites deployed in mega-constellations. In order to support the smaller satellite architectures normally found in such constellations, adaptions enable right-sizing of both the computing resources and pricing. It also adds new features for easing monitoring and control of such a large number of satellites.

5G METEORS implements and operates a framework supporting dynamic prototyping in the field of 5G and satellite communications using 3GPP NR (New Radio) waveforms for direct access, as well as for backhauling.

Its main objective is to support the integration of satellites in 5G by responding in an agile manner to technology developments driven by the market and the standardization work in 3GPP. Individual activities are to be selected and executed through competitive open calls.

Designing, building and testing the most advanced and first commercially-viable picosatellite in conjunction with a PocketQube Orbital Deployer - the means with which to launch a large number of PocketQubes profitably.

Objective of the contract is to industrialize the production and testing of more than 900 PG thermal straps (Flexlinks), using Airbus DS NL’s patented High Performance Radiator (HiPeR) technology.

A radically new type of OSR, consisting of a CERMET-based thin film coating deposited on the first surface of a flexible foil, featuring low solar absorbance, high thermal emissivity, and extreme durability to the space environment. The foil can be very thin, and made of any of a wide range of space compliant materials, from metals, to polymers and composites.

In this project, we investigate lens antennas as a cost-effective solution for the ground terminal in on-the-move satellite communications. The main design goals are: high directivity, electrical or hybrid mechanical and electrical steerable radiation, low cost, and compact size.

The ABBM provides a flexible platform for use in operational ground stations. The highly modular architecture allows the system to be rapidly scaled to support complex spacecraft with multi-carrier downlinks, uplinks, radiometric and baseband processing or lightweight systems for smaller missions. The platform architecture allows the system to support legacy, current and future modulation and coding requirements.

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).

RazorLink® Smart Networking is an SD-WAN solution that offers a seamless, carrier agnostic transition between terrestrial and satellite communications - a headline objective for 5G services.

T3: A compact star tracker for small satellites with moderate requirements for attitude determination accuracy.

Development and qualification of a lightweight, low-cost reflector for C, X, Ku and Ka-band applications

In this project a 3-axis mechanically tracking antenna has been developed by SpaceCom A/S. Main design goals are: State-of-the-art performance when exposed to tough vibration/shock specifications and high tracking accuracy (<0.2°) in rough seas, at a competitive price.

This project incorporates the implementation of DVB-RCS2 in the SatLink system, in embedded SW and FW for the hardware units developed in another ARTES3-4 project, and as SW on SatLink NMS and NCC.

Extended lifetime normally-closed high pressure valve for orbital propulsion systems

The objective of this activity is to survey existing radome designs and identify relevant performance characteristics applicable to radomes used by mobile satellite ground user terminal antennas operating in Ku-band and Ka-band in different mobile environments.

The objective of the MIGNON project is to develop and evaluate Ka-band surface mountable miniaturized cavity filters realized in multilayer micro-machined technolog

The On-board Signal Processing platform serves as a common core for a product family and is built around a highly integrated commercial SRAM-based FPGA. Each product within the family is customized by the development of mission- or market-specific signal processing firmware and RF front-ends.

T6 High Power Electric Propulsion System (HPEPS) is a flexible and modular 5kW-class EP system to provide for geostationary communication satellites (GEO comsats) high Specific Impulse electric propulsion for orbit raising; station keeping, comsat GEO repositioning (as required) and satellite disposal to graveyard orbit at end of mission.

The Damped Ultra-light Deployment Mechanism - a hinge consisting out of elastic collapsible CFRP blades and a damping device- is developed to deploy a wide range of structures, smoothly with a minimal end shock based on a Shape Memory Alloy spring. The ultra-lightweight design combined with high stiffness, thermal stability and low power consumption is the key in this product.

ComDev Europe (traded as Honeywell) are seeking to take advantage of the configurability and weight saving of software defined radio in a new high speed X-band downlink capability. Balancing spectrum, ground station availability and the high-speed modulation currently available, we are developing a low mass, power and volume system with reduced complexity in a dependable product, targeting the ever-growing data requirements of future missions.

SatNetCode empowers robust and powerful end-to-end networking over multi-hop integrated satellite networks in potentially difficult mobile scenarios where packet loss and interruptions may occur. By applying adaptive Network Coding – with re-encoding option per network – significant improvements can be obtained over traditional approaches. Application areas include aerial, vehicular and maritime users with sources like video and other critical data. The focus is specifically on video over multiple hops.

This project aims to develop an electronic scanning multibeam antenna ground station combining gateway and TT&C services in Ka band for LEO and MEO satellite megaconstellations.

Delta Development and qualification of PCU derived from latest PCU generation to address Chinese market demand

Based on HPS/INVENT CFRP technologies a 2.4 m Q/V band reflector with highest accuracy was designed, manufactured and tested. The design concept proved to be applicable for multi-beam telecom application. With a frequency band of 37.5 GHz to 51.4 GHz this is the next step for a Terabit satellite to provide high-speed internet.

This study examines various technical solutions and associated technologies for design compact feed network from L-band to C-band and validates the most promising by manufacturing and testing a representative EM of critical parts of the network. Activities were focused on the feed network to have a significant number of beams while maintaining acceptable mass and dimensions of the feed network.

Experiments of optical multi aperture up-links between OGS and ARTEMIS satellite executed in the past did not show the expected effects due to TX diversity.

The application of high temperature adhesives and potting materials becomes more challenging when not only a very good thermal endurance is required, but also where the application is in high voltage ranges. For Telecom missions, this applies especially for travelling wave tubes, power transfer applications e.g slip rings, electrical propulsion power supplies and power connectors and lines.
In this activity, adhesives with enhanced thermal stability and insulation properties for high voltage applications have been selected and validated.

The aim of the project is to develop a new generation of Command Receiver to offer improved performances and flexibility to operators and prime contractors. This new product implements a CDMA demodulation mode increasing significantly the immunity against interferers.

CESI project was aimed at developing of high efficiency large area solar cells from 6” Ge wafers.
Large area devices lead to a significant benefit at space power generators level, as they reduce, for a given power, the panel complexity saving space and weight. CTJ30-CLASS is the building-block for the future generations of PVAs, especially for high power demanding missions.