2 — Description of the programme Overeenkomst tussen bepaalde Lid-Staten van de Europese Organisatie voor Ruimteonderzoek en de Europese Organisatie voor Ruimteonderzoek betreffende de uitvoering van een telecommunicatiesatellieten-programma
Description of the programme
The programme is divided into two Phases as follows:
(a) A technological and experimental Phase, during which the communication techniques and the spacecraft technologies required for the programme will be developed on the ground and tested aboard experimental and pre-operational satellites (Phase 2).
(b) A Phase devoted to the development of two operational flight units together, if necessary, with the launching, and evaluation in orbit, of a prototype model, and on its completion to making these operational flight units available to the potential users, one of them in orbit and the other on the ground, on terms to be agreed between the Participants and the users (Phase 3).
It was preceded by a preparatory programme definition Phase (Phase 1), which was completed in 1971.
2.1. Phase 2 of the programme
The developmental and technological Phase (Phase 2), is intended to run from 1972 to 1978, culminating essentially in the orbiting at the end of 1976 of an experimental and pre-operational spacecraft and its subsequent in-orbit evaluation. The work to be carried out in this Phase is divided under the following headings:
(a) Communication system,
(b) Supporting technology,
(c) Experimental satellites,
(d) Studies of operational configuration.
2.1.1. Communication system
The work in Phase 2 of the communication system will comprise:
(a) overall system studies, covering inter alia, analysis of communication techniques such as PCM/PSK/TDMA (pulse code modulation/phase shift keying/time division multiple access), frequency re-use by polarisation diversification, space division multiple access, adaptive satellite radiated power, and on-board switching;
(b) studies of transmission problems, such as impairment phenomena in the satellite repeater, interface problems at the earth stations;
(c) propagation experiments, involving radiometric measurements for the provision of statistics on atmospheric attenuation, propagation measurements on terrestrial links for the study of depolarisation effects and measurements using satellites beacons to provide direct analysis of the anticipated phenomena;
(d) earth segment studies, to be pursued in close collaboration with the users, to ensure that the overall satellite/earth segment system chosen is optimal.
2.1.2. Supporting technology
This area of Phase 2 covers the development and qualification of critical items in the following areas:
- Communication technology;
- Structures and mechanisms;
- Thermal control;
- Attitude and orbit control;
- Energy conversion.
These critical items are those which are necessary for the development of the experimental and pre-operational satellites (CTS and OTS) of Phase 2, as well as those which, because of their long period of development, are necessary for the final execution of Phase 3.
2.1.3. Experimental and pre-operational satellites
Phase 2 is to be completed by the in-orbit test of the components developed under the supporting technology phase, these in-orbit tests allowing:
- the qualification in orbit of the 11/14 GHz communication equipment;
- the qualification in orbit of the concept of a three-axis stabilised vehicle with orientable solar panels, and the equipment developed within the framework of the supporting technology programme and considered as critical;
- the evaluation of communication techniques proposed for the operational system in collaboration with the users.
Two satellites will be used for this experimental and pre-operational phase:
- Under the Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Communications of Canada, ESRO-developed equipment will be incorporated in the Canadian Communications Technology Satellite, to be launched during 1975. The equipment to be flown is in the areas of communication technology (travelling wave tube amplifiers and parametric amplifiers) and of energy conversion (flexible solar array).
- The second and more important part of the experimental and pre-operational programme will be the orbiting, at the end of 1976, of an experimental and pre-operational Orbital Test Satellite (OTS).
This satellite is to be launched by a vehicle of the Delta 2914 class. In summary, the OTS will be a three-axis stabilised, threeyear lifetime vehicle of modular conception, carrying sunorientated solar panels; the communications capability will include 40 and 120-MHz bandwidth 20-W repeaters, with spotbeam and Eurobeam antenna coverage.
2.1.4 Studies of operational configuration
Within Phase 2 of the programme, studies of potential operational configurations will continue to be made, in liaison with the prospective users, to enable the optimum choice to be made in 1975-1976.
2.1.5. Sub-Phase (2bis)
Should the review of Phase 2 referred to in Article 2, paragraph 1 (a) of the Arrangement lead to the inclusion of a sub-Phase 2bis, this sub-Phase shall have as its aim to further advanced techniques and specialised studies in respect of possible operational satellite configurations.
2.2. Phase 3 of the programme
Shortly before the completion of Phase 2 of the programme, the subsequent Phase of the programme, involving the development and construction of two flight units of the operational vehicle, is commenced.
The decision to commence Phase 3 is foreseen for 1975; taken in conjunction with the results of the experimentation in orbit, it is foreseen that 18 months of orbital data will be available at the time of the critical design reviews of the operational vehicle. Completion of Phase 3 is foreseen for 1980.
- Regeling
- Overeenkomst tussen bepaalde Lid-Staten van de Europese Organisatie voor Ruimteonderzoek en de Europese Organisatie voor Ruimteonderzoek betreffende de uitvoering van een telecommunicatiesatellieten-programma
- Soort
- Verdrag
- Geldend vanaf
- 14-11-1979
- BWB-id
- BWBV0003421
- Versie
- 1979-11-14_0