Developing an improved Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), enhanced MEOLUT and physiological monitoring application providing an end-to-end solution based on the SAR/Galileo service and particularly the unique Return-Link-Service (RLS). The improved PLB is wrist-worn, integrating a 406MHz Cospas-Sarsat compatible beacon and a Digital Selective Calling (DSC) transceiver compatible with marine VHF radios. The enhanced MEOLUT supports increased uplink data throughput. The specific application monitors at the PLB and communicates to the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC), via the MEOLUT, the user’s physiological status. The integrated PLB and the enhanced communication will enable operational advantages for increasing the rescue probability, by: 1. Detecting a mariner's distress call by SAR satellites, and by nearby ships equipped with a DSC radio. 2. Saving battery power by controlling the PLB transmission power and repetition rate, upon RLS and DSC acknowledgments. 3. Enabling the RCC and assisting ships to provide rescue suitable to the specific case. Increasing the data throughput will be achieved based on a mathematical method patented by Mobit and implemented in its present PLB (SAT406), and with the cooperation of a MEOLUT developer – Thales Alenia Space. This method could pave the way for an enhanced communication protocol between PLB and RCC, facilitating and improving the rescue operation. In the project, the specific application of monitoring and communicating the user's physiological status will be developed by GeoNumerics, an SME specialized in geomatic and navigation algorithms that has developed a “stochastic graph navigation” method for “qualitative navigation.” The project products are: an innovative PLB to be introduced to the marine market, and MEOLUT enhancing offering added value services for the SAR community and users, potentially becoming standard.

With the advent of the Copernicus program with its wealth of open data, the Earth Observation application and service development domain is increasingly adopting big data technologies. This adoption is first related to efficient data storage and processing infrastructures, but most importantly data analytics and application development framework. CANDELA project main objective is to allow the creation of value from Copernicus data through the provisioning of modelling and analytics tools given that the tasks of data collection, processing, storage and access will be provided by the Copernicus Data and Information Access Service (DIAS), which the team is fully familiar with. The implementation starts by putting in place a set of powerful tools that drastically lowers the cost of getting familiar with the data and creating new services. These modules adopt new developments in the domain of machine learning, data mining, data fusion and web semantics, combining the Copernicus data and information with other non-Earth Observation data sources to derive novel applications and services. CANDELA will demonstrate the breadth of project capabilities with a real-life small demonstrator by means of two reference scenarios: a “macro-economics and agriculture” scenario to show how remote sensing capacities to extract adequate information from images could be used to feed economical models; and a “forest health monitoring” (FHM) scenario which aim is to present how Earth Observation satellite data collection can be used for the monitoring of forest health conditions. CANDELA team is a well-balanced consortium, consisting of nine partners from five European countries, and with strong participation from the industry as encouraged by the Call, being half of the partners well positioned SME’s.

HEATPACK project aims to develop and validate critical technology building blocks for enabling transformative packages for space applications with very low thermal resistance. This is to fully exploit the potential of wide-bandgap technologies which are now being considered as critical in numerous sectors and for space applications in particular, as enhanced thermal management solutions beyond state-of-the-art need to be provided. Benefits will range from improved performance to increased components reliability and lifetime. HEATPACK concepts for achieving high power / high thermal efficiency packages include: - Diamond based composite materials with a thermal conductivity >600W/m.K to be used as baseplate or insert - Silver sintering based Thermal Interface Material (TIM) for components assembly - TIM for package to structure assembly with both electrical and thermal enhanced properties (in excess of 10W/m.K) - Innovative cooling solutions with strategic implementation possibilities (baseplate, lid, structure…) Using these technologies, two different modules implementing Gallium Nitride (GaN) components will be developed: -A power supply switching module based on a multilayer ceramic substrate -A L-band High Power Amplifier based on a single hermetic micro package, delivering up to 400W CW output power The main application targeted is the Galileo Second Generation satellite program since thermal management of the GaN HEMT based Solid State Power Amplifier and Electronic Power Conditioner sections currently provide a roadblock due to the very high power levels involved. Other needs are linked to power conditioning notably for digital transparent processor targeting very high throughput satellite for telecommunication. To secure a fully European supply chain for high power components thermal management, the technologies developed will reach a TRL of 7, demonstrating commercial viable solutions providing reliability levels compliant with space environments.

The I3DS platform (Integrated 3D sensors) is a generic and modular system answering the needs of near-future space exploration missions in terms of exteroceptive and proprioceptive sensors with integrated pre-processing and data concentration functions. It consists in state-of-the art sensors and illumination devices integrated in a coherent architecture as inter-changeable building blocks and targeting a vast range of missions such as interplanetary missions, formation flying missions, non-cooperative target capture such as debris removal missions, cooperative rendezvous: servicing & spacetugs, landers, rovers, etc... The architecture of I3DS enables pushing the vision sensors as part of future exploration satellite platforms standard GNC units. It enables computing navigation solutions with on-board computers to be available for post-2020 missions autonomously from Ground. To do so, the data throughput provided by the sensors is pre-processed (filtering, compression, correction of distortions) by dedicated boards within I3DS. I3DS provides also an abstraction of the many electrical interfaces of the sensors by centralising the data flux using dedicated communication nodes. The mechanical interface is also simplified through the integration of the different sensors and boards in an integrated module. The I3DS design enables easy and low-cost configurations and reconfigurations of a robotic platform for any mission using the modular sensors. The I3DS project intends to develop autonomous robotic platforms to achieve a large scope of spatial mission. Ultimately, three demonstrators will be tested in laboratory, thanks to appropriate tests benches and infrastructures in order to demonstrate the INSES concept modularity and performances. -

SELECTOR contributes to the EC policy : “Reaching non-dependence in certain technologies will open new markets to our industries and will increase the overall competitiveness of the European Space sector”. It focuses on the development of innovative passive components to increase the number of freely accessible space qualified passive components. SELECTOR aims at developing Surface Mount Technology (SMT) compatible electromechanical switches for space sector high miniaturization. These devises called “Miniature Electro Mechanical Relay” (MEMR), already exist for microwave industrial ground application like Automatic Test Equipment. SELECTOR will deliver MEMR as part of ESA portfolio European Preferred Part List (EPPL) so that this high integration, high performance passive component be available with noi restriction for the whole European industry. SELECTOR will also demonstrate a whole new approach of self-redunded microwave equipment called “Meta-equipment” based on microwave specific SMT board level assembly and MEMR components to minimize cost and improve integration. This demonstrator will address Very High Throughput Satellites (VHTS) emerging applications where the new paradigm is the introduction of digital technologies dealing with very high number of RF chains. VHTS system answers to telecommunication operator calling for optimized capital expenditure, no matter which network, ground or space, to supply their products and services. New evolution toward high RF power and high frequency capability will be implemented to open-up new sector of application within Space satellites (Navigation, earth observation), but also non space sectors. SELECTOR value chain includes a supplier of space passive component “Radiall”, a space integrator “Thales Alenia Space”, a leader into electromagnetic design the “Universitat polytecnica of Valencia” and a center of excellence for space reliability of high complexity miniature component the “CSEM”.