SOLAR SYSTEM INTERNET REFERENCE FRAMES AND TIME SYSTEMS - EXPRO+

European Space Agency (ESA)

Published: Jun 10, 2026

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

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: To study the state-of-the-art concerning time and reference systems applicable to Solar System navigation and propose a definition of Solar System time and reference systems.Description: Currently ESA is developing interoperable communication and navigation services for the Moon (through Moonlight) and Mars (through MARCONI). To increase the autonomy of space missions across the full Solar System, and thus offloading the overloaded ground stations, ESA is developing a concept for Solar System Internet. Currently, spacecraft navigating in the Solar System rely on explicit, pre-planned setup of point-to-point communication links for their navigation. Such approach, does not scale well with the large number of missions planned in the future. Such a system would combine existing (i.e., GNSS) or planned (i.e., Moonlight, MARCONI) systems and would complement this with dedicated SSI nodes. These nodes would provide ranging capabilities through point-to-point links (as broadcast links are not scalable over long distances). As all spacecraft and SSI nodes are connected (through the Solar System Internet), raw data could be shared, through the decentralized network,enabling more advanced positioning techniques such as collaborative positioning. To achieve this goal, the definition of accurate timescale and reference systems, similar to GNSS or Moonlight, is crucial.

The objective of this activity is to study the state-of-the-art concerning time and reference systems applicable to Solar System navigation, assess the gaps and suitability. The activity encompasses the following tasks: - Analyse the state-of-the-art of existing Barycentric/planetary reference frames and timescales and the accuracy/availability of transformations between them (e.g., Mars planetocentric to Barycentric) - Investigate how the realizationof existing Barycentric/planetary reference frames can be improved using SSI PNT nodes, pre-selecting the most promising approaches. - Investigate the impact of relativity on Solar System PNT and assess the need for the definition of one (or more) Solar System timescale(s) and the relationship between them, pre-selecting the most promising approaches. - Implement the pre-selected reference frames and timescales, for usage in a Solar System PNT system, in a software simulator, such that end-to-end PNT performance assessment que be performed for the different models and PNT system configurations. - Based on the implemented models in the software simulator, assess the performance and suitability of the pre-selected Barycentric/planetary reference frames and timescales for a Solar System PNT system. - Based on the results obtained via simulation, propose one (or more) Solar System time and reference systems. Thisanalysis will need to beProcurement Policy: C(2) = Activities in open competition, where a significant participation of non-LSI is requested. For additional information please go to:http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Business_with_ESA/Small_and_Medium_Sized_Enterprises/Opportunities_for_SMEs/Procurement_policy_on_fair_access_for_SMEs_-_the_C1-C4_Clauses supported by analytical models and simulation.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from ESA - European Space Agency and was originally published on June 10, 2026. Last refreshed today. 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 552 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 200 currently open and 137 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.