MULTIBEAM GATEWAY ANTENNA FOR SATCOM CONSTELLATIONS (ARTES AT 6B.147) - EXPRO+
About This Opportunity
This is a services contract in the information and communication technology sector. Located in International, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.
Published through ESA - European Space Agency, a multilateral development bank that follows standardized international procurement guidelines. Projects funded by multilateral institutions are generally open to international bidders from eligible member countries for services in the information and communication technology sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.
Description
Objective: The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test a single aperture Ka or Q/V band gateway multibeam antenna, capable to serve multiple satellites located in a large field of view.Targeted Improvements: Replacing multiple (up to 12) gateway antennas based on reflectors with a single aperture multi-beam gateway antenna ; Reducing by a factor 10 the complexity ofa conventional active array antenna.Description: With the proliferation of satellite constellations, there is a strong interest, need, and market opportunities for innovative multibeam antennas for Gateway stations. These antennas should be able to generate multiple simultaneous beams in order to guarantee the link with different satellites. Existing gateway antennas are mainly based on reflectors dishes repointable mechanically, and able to track a single satellite instantaneously. Multibeam gateway antennas based onactive phased arrays are also under development. They can generate multiple simultaneous beams, but they are not competitive yet interms of complexity, power dissipation, thermal issues, cost. For these reasons, in this activity innovative multibeam antennas with a reduced complexity should be developed. The beamforming could be analogue, digital or hybrid. A significant simplification can be obtained by limitingthe multiple beams directions in a limited portion of the field of view where the majority of the satellitesareexpected to be visible. In facts, the number of active controls in the antenna is proportional to the extension of the angular field of view. Another simplification can be obtained by assuming a minimum angular separation between two contiguous beams corresponding to two different satellites. The design must be customisable based on the longitude and latitude of the gateway station considering also the orbital position and orientation of the constellations to be served. By applying these simplifications and customisations, significant simplifications in the gateway antennas should be obtained.The activity will design, manufacture and test a singleaperture Ka or Q/V band gateway multibeam antenna, capable to serve multiple satellites located in a large field of view. At least twopromising technical solutions will be identified and studied. Trade-offs will be carried out and the most promising concept willbe selected and implemented in a reduced scale prototype. The developed multibeam gateway antenna will be tested in a relevant environment establishing a link with a real satellite and scanning two independent andsimultaneous beams.
Data provenance
This notice is sourced from ESA - European Space Agency and was originally published on June 1, 2026. Last refreshed 4 days ago. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.
About European Space Agency (ESA)
European Space Agency (ESA) has issued 555 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 204 currently open and 138 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Information & Communication Technology, Transport & Logistics, and Environment & Climate. Tenders span 9 countries including Denmark, Czech Republic, and Austria. Notices are distributed via ESA - European Space Agency. Most recent publication: June 10, 2026.
Frequently asked questions about this tender
How can I submit a bid?
Visit ESA - European Space Agency to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions provided by the contracting authority.
Who is the contracting authority?
This notice was issued by European Space Agency (ESA) in International. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.
What type of contract is this?
This is a Services contract in the Information & Communication Technology sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.
Where will the contract be performed?
The contract is for delivery in International. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.
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