The study focuses on Lunar optical communications with the aim to:

1. investigate the communications scenarios and architecture for the cis-lunar region, also involving the Deep Space Gateway

2. perform a technical specification and preliminary design of the required optical terminals

3. perform a technology survey, identify the critical units and derive the technology roadmap.

5G-LEO extends OpenAirInterfaceTM to support satellite systems in non-geostationary orbits. This extension implements a full 5G protocol stack (Release ≥16) for both the UE and the gNB. As a main outcome 5G-LEO provides a publicly available new version of the open source OAI software library with new features to support 5G LEO satellite communication networks.

5G-GOA develops and implements the necessary modifications in the 5G New Radio standard to enable the direct radio access of terrestrial communication networks via satellite, a 5G RAN via satellite closely following the 3GPP Work Item on Non-Terrestrial-Networks. The hardware and software development relies on and uses existing technologies, hardware and software components already available from the open source project OpenAirInterface™ for the prototyping of 5G terrestrial systems. Our solution is directly based on 3GPP discussions and results and covers physical layer techniques (e.g. synchronisation) up to specific protocols and upper layer implementations (e.g. timers and random access procedure) of the radio access network, as needed. 5G-GOA focuses on geostationary satellite systems.

Through its activities, ALIX 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.

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.

The main objectives of the project consist of developing new solutions in terms of test techniques, instrumentation and methods in order to overcome the three critical difficulties facing the space industry for the testing of multi-beam antennas.

Development of the Onesat mechanical platform & propulsion systems, and a parallel technology development for Aquarius electrolysed water based propulsion technologies for future mission applications.

MRC100 brings new features to Newtec Dialog® as part of ST Engineering iDirect’s continuous effort to deliver efficient, high-performant, scalable, and secure products. One of the main features is the upgrade of the Mx-DMA MRC return link technology to support higher baud rates of up to 100 Mbaud.

The project also investigates the use of AI and ML in ACM, and the potential increase of satellite network sizes using virtual carriers in a physical wideband carrier.

Neuromorphic computers are non-von Neumann computers whose structure and function are inspired by brains and are therefore composed of neurons and synapses. They have enormous potential for many different applications. In this project we explore and understand the current state-of-the-art of Neuromorphic Processor hardware and software technologies and assess their applicability to space applications.

MECANO ID takes a new step in its development for the supply of composite structures with the maturing of robotized products for SatCom in the frame of this ARTES Competitiveness and Growth co-funded activity. Three products are targeted: Hyperstable Composite Tubes for antennas and reflector arms, Composite Booms New Generation for deployable systems and One-Shot Struts for structural applications.

SCNE simulator enables the design of the future LEO satellite communication constellations, but also the study and assessment of protocol and algorithm performances ranging from low-speed data collection and mobile communications to broadband and broadcast services.

The project aims at designing a compact, robust and cost-effective two-axis-mirror tilting system based on piezoelectric actuation. Main scope of application is the utilization as beam guiding mechanism in optical intersatellite communication.

An end-to-end functional testbed for Satellite 5G IoT Networks.

Artificial Intelligence for satellite communications will impose new requirements on computer processors, which will have to support large workloads as efficiently in harsh environmental conditions. Neuromorphic processing (NP) is emerging as a bio-inspired solution to address pattern recognition tasks involving multiple, temporal signals and/or requiring continuous learning. The main merits of this technology are energy efficiency and on-device adaptability. 

A World Class data security System For Your IoT Infrastructure.

Irish Startup Tisalabs LTD, through the SecureSat Project protects Critical IoT Infrastructure through data encryption, device identity management and communication technology with ironclad security. Our system level security enables our customers to take advantage of satellite Communications to build IoT solutions at scale and with an Ironclad security by design. Devices connected through LoRa/LoRaWAN technology and Satellite communications can transmit data securely from devices to Cloud using our Gateway Software technology.

The objectives of the project were to add enhancements to an existing optimised LoRaWAN to satellite software stack for advanced LoRaWAN over Satellite features including compatibility with LoRaWAN cloud-based management tools (Third-party NOC, IoT Platforms), LoRaWAN COTS sensor integration interfaces (ThingNOC API) and LoRaWAN security standards (LoRaWAN 1.1. security, Downlink firmware updates).

The ESA MEO Extension to REACH project is the evolution of the REACH platform to support the SES O3b mPOWER System.

This expansion integrates the MEO constellation fleet in the REACH platform, and in parallel prepares the ground for the inclusion of the MEO terminals and modems.

Facing an anticipated five-fold growth of the number of natural disaster events by 2050, ReSCUE consists of an end-to-end integrated System (terrestrial + satellite) able to support all relevant public safety / mission critical operations.

This study identified the key technical, programmatic and financial conditions under which critical European needs for connectivity could be addressed by an autonomous, secure, high-performance, resilient and accessible satcom system.

UK-based company Oxford Space Systems developed a highly scalable and modular deployable and steerable patch panel antenna array compatible with microsatellites. This technology development directly addresses the need for high- throughput systems for microsat platforms.

The NON-GEO 5GCBH technology project explores and de-risks 3 major technology domains related to multi-orbit ground segment Satcom systems:

• Seamless satellite handover mechanisms in constellations
• Flexible Payload interaction with ground segment
• Service orchestrated interaction with terrestrial networks

With the aim of contributing to cost reductions for EEE components in space, by employing methods, materials and techniques used for commercial and automotive industry, this activity covers assembly of the GR740 die in a suitable plastic package. An evaluation program demonstrating the capability to reach required environmental standards for SATCOM constellation programs is also included in the project activities.

Hybrid-ConneX, an Excelerate Technology-led consortium project combines a hardware platform (Hybrid Communications Module) and a fully-managed service (Hybrid Communications as a Service) which integrates High Throughput Satellite, WiFi and 4G/5G networks enabling Ambulances and Healthcare Pathways access to fast, secure, seamless and fully-optimised connectivity and Cloud services.

This program provides a beam-hopping system test bed for validating a ground-space synchronization mechanism (and other added value use cases) for HTS/VHTS transparent satellites. The project addresses the need for an efficient standards-based approach (integrating Mod/Demod prototypes based on DVB-S2x Annex E) validated in realistic conditions (payload breadboards + channel emulation) allowing prospective users to adopt BH techniques with confidence.

The project intends to study and design a broadband satellite system for RPAS communications using HAPS as a relay node. The activity considers the flight dynamics of RPAS and HAPS, and their constraints in terms of mass and power. The development includes the end-to-end link as well as physical, data link, and network layers. The project develops a system demonstrator to validate the concept.

Innovative design and Qualification of new fully European monopropellant 1N thruster developed specifically to out-perform existing flight-proven designs in terms of specific impulse, pulsing capability and longevity. Radical use of materials, catalyst loading, nozzle and injector design, filtering and fine particle control, etc. make this thruster a key player in the 1N chemical thruster market for satellite orbit control systems. ESA Qualification for NeoSat and Flex programmes have been completed to date (December 2021) and further planned delta-qualification of the MHT-1N fitted with the European Nammo CTV-D flow control valve for another European prime will take place in early 2022. Flight Model Thrusters are being supplied to fly on ESA Flex, Altius and Lunar Pathfinder missions together with other commercial programmes. Nammo are increasing production capability to meet growing demand for this high performance thruster.

The main objective of the WAKA project is to design, build, and test an Engineering Model of the RF line-up of a W to Ka-band frequency converter for future telecom payloads by using European or Canadian state-of-the-art MMIC technology.

EdgeSAT explores the applicability and implementation of edge networking concepts in satellite networks in order to identify and characterise the resulting opportunities for Satellite Network and Service providers as well as Satellite terminal manufacturers. As part of this mission, it specifies and validates a SatCom enabled edge node.

PERSILS from Aerospacelab in Belgium is an inter-satellite link solution for persistent connectivity to LEO satellites. It consists of a Ku-band terminal that leverages existing assets in GEO to relay Telemetry and Telecommand data.

AAC Clyde Space, in collaboration with their partners, are working on a 3-year project as part of the European Space Agency (ESA) ARTES Pioneer partnership programme, developing an innovative satellite constellation service, including the manufacturing of 10 spacecraft. xSPANCION is transformational, laying the groundwork for AAC Clyde Space to provide space data and services quickly, at low cost, to organisations who are eager to harness the power of satellites to tackle problems on-earth.

The objective of SATNEX V is to study medium/long term directions of Space and Satellite Telecommunication Systems for any of the Commercial or Institutional applications that can be considered appealing to key players in the space technologies domain but that are still not mature enough for attracting industry or initiating dedicated ESA R&D activities.

The activity aims to prototype DOG-1, a multi-mode receive modem, compliant to the optical CCSDS specifications and able to process up to 10Gb/s. The modem addresses both high and low intensity laser reception by using hard decision decoding and state-of-the-art soft decision decoding. DOG-1 will address the market need for very high bandwidth CCSDS compliant optical receive modem which can be deployed in a varienty of missions: LEO Earth observation to deep space data relays.

ARTES3-4 High Power Solar Array program purpose is to develop a Solar Array product family with enhanced performances and competitiveness. The different Solar Array configurations – from 4 to 6 panels per wing, with Small or Large panel size - allow to fit with the power range of the new generation of full electric geostationary satellites (Spacebus NEO).

SCNE simulator enables the design of the future LEO satellite communication constellations, but also the study and assessment of protocol and algorithm performances ranging from low-speed data collection and mobile communications to broadband and broadcast services.

The objective of this activity is to establish a framework for soliciting calls for 5G Non-Terrestrial Network over-the-air demonstrations to increase the Technology Readiness Level (TRL), giving the necessary technical support, and, finally, disseminating the results. This would allow to set the basis for future operative implementations of space segment based 5G networks and their integration with Terrestrial Networks.

Romantica provides an Advanced Radio Resource Management software that fully exploits the new generation of VHTS payload flexibility (in terms of frequency, power, beam layout and position assessment). This approach means that this advanced RRM algorithms solution is able to optimize at the same time the system resource planning and the packet scheduling management.

The MSMO study lays on the upstream integration of telecommunication services with different space-based applications, aiming at identifying new end-user services which so far do not exist. What if the Star-Trackers of a telecom satellite had sufficient resolution to track space debris? What if, with the relay of a distress beacon in S&R operations, images of the area could be provided in near real time?

Monitoring of radio frequency sources from satellites in space and from ground as well as geolocation of the identified sources.

Pure software-based wideband DVB-S2x Modem running on low-cost x86 and ARM CPUs.