There is a fundamental issue in the electronic box design that the power density is increasing. In addition, system integrators prefers the dry thermal interface since it allows the unit to be dismountable. However, the thermal interface has a conductive limit where the only method of increasing the heat transfer would be to increase the surface area as well as the contact pressure and reducing the interface filler thickness.

This development has been performed as a result of the need for qualification of an helix antenna dedicated
using metallic 3D printing

The incorporation of inter-satellite-links to the Galileo architecture is under detailed assessment by the GNSS Evolution Program, given its visible potential to:- Enhance the overall constellation command-ability- Enhance the overall constellation monitoring-ability- Simplify the Ground Segment, reducing the number of remote ground stations- Enhance the navigation message accuracy- Enhance constellation autonomyThe incorporation of inter-satellite-links to Galileo imply an important evolution of its functional and physical architecture.

The European space industry and ESA programs lack information on RF breakdown (Multipactor) when ferrites and dielectrics are used.

Background and justification:

Bandwidth, frequency and power reconfigurable payload architectures are currently under development by major satellite manufacturers. Today's fixed bandwidth filters are a major bottle neck in such systems and have led to the implementation of reconfigurable filters. These new reconfiguration scenarios require flexible converters and, hence, flexible filters to be accommodated after the down/up conversion.

FPGAs are increasingly being used to implement complex and critical functions on-board the Satellite at both Platform and Payload level. The new European Space FPGA software tool chain is intended to be used in the end to end FPGA Development Lifecycle to ensure that the devices are correctly programmed, starting from the functional specification of the device behaviour through to the final Verification and Validation in the target environment.

Spasolab was created in 1984, at INTA (E) premises, as an ESA external laboratory dedicated to Solar Cell and Panels Testing. The laboratory aimed at supporting ESA programmes and activities at different maturity levels, ranging from the development to the production phases, throughout the design and qualification ones.A list of Spasolab solar cell test laboratory capabilities is provided in the following:? Complete characterisation of space of Space Silicon and Gallium Arsenide solar cells (Type approval tests).?

Project innovations in different knowledge domains

Based on an ESA feasibility study, the Wavemill concept has shown that extremely interesting results can be achieved in terms of ocean current retrieval for both velocity and direction. There is a strong interest for optimising the antenna architecture and demonstrating feasibility and performance. Among possible antenna architectures, the javelin concept looks interesting since it can provide the required along- and across-track baselines with a compact spacecraft at launch having a nearly optimal configuration for AOCS (long and thin in flight direction).