Publication Date: 02-APR-19

Program ref.: Technology Developme
Tender Type: C
Quarter: 191
Tender Status: INTENDED
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – Technology Developme
Proc. Prop.: DAC
Special Prov.: AT+BE+CH+CZ+DE+DK+EE+ES+FI+FR+GB+GR+HU+IE+IT+LU+NL+NO+PL+PT+RO+SE
Establishment: ESOC
Directorate: Directorate of Operations
Department: Ground Systems Eng. & Innovation Dept.
Division: Mission Ops. Data Systems Division
Responsible: Reggestad, Vemund
Products: Ground Segment / Mission Operations / Mission Control / TM/TC, Planning & Scheduling, … Ground Segment / Mission Operations / Mission Control / Engineering Support (GS S/W dev. and maintenance, …)
Techology Domains: Onboard Data Systems / Onboard Data Management / System Space System Software / Ground Segment Software RF Systems, Payloads and Technologies / Telecommunication Systems/Subsystems / Networking Techniques Mission Operation and Ground Data Systems / Ground Data Systems / Mission Control System, Automation, Mission Planning, Simulators and Station M&C and Data Centre Architecture and Technologies Ground Station Systems and Networks / Ground Communications Networks / Communication Network Technologies and Protocols
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply

The objective is to increase security and reliability in the space-ground communications for Earth Observation missions. The activity will assess and validate end-to-end through simulation the potential expansion (or complement) of current protocol stacks compliant with standards such as ECSS PUS-C and/or CCSDS CDFP for future EO missions, with new technologies compliant with CCSDS Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) standards. The activity will assess the overall system performance, but also the complexity impact on both space and ground communication systems in order to derive recommendations and requirements for an implementation in future activities. Current trends see LEO spacecraft to move their communication systems towards K-band for space/ground implying that protocols able to work over unreliable links will be required. Such communications unreliability could traditionally be overcome with the use of proven solutions such as File Based Operations (CCSDS CFDP). Nevertheless, other solutions that are not only relying in (orcomplement) File operations may need to be considered. The next generation Space Communication Architecture roadmaps of international partners as well as ESA exploration/science missions are foreseeing the move from node poor and frame based communication towardsnode rich and data product centric communication with space assets, considering the adoption of CCSDS DTN based solutions. This activity will allow to analyze the impact and validate the benefits of expanding/complementing the initial protocol stack using unreliable links based on CFDP for EO missions with the potential adoption of DTN. Relevant scenarios, including data compression and security, should be considered. This critical assessment shall include the overall E2E system as well as analyzing the interaction between all ECSS and CCSDS protocols required in the E2E system for communication, and compare it against the CFPD standalone solution. The associated complexity and modularity for the space and ground segment designs will be assessed and recommendations for its implementation will be established.

W razie pytań prosimy o kontakt z Polską Agencją Kosmiczną pod adresem SEKTOR.KOSMICZNY@POLSA.GOV.PL lub bezpośrednio z Europejską Agencją Kosmiczną pod adresem IDHELP@ESA.INT .