SUSTAINABLE 3D-PRINTED ACTIVE AND PASSIVE RF COMPONENTS FOR ANTENNA ARRAY APPLICATIONS - EXPRO+

Objective:To develop and demonstrate 3D-printed active and passive RF components for L-band antenna arrayapplications, enabling more sustainable manufacturing and system integration.Description:The environmental impact of space activities is receiving increasing attention across the European spacesector. In line with ESA's Ecodesign Policy, future missions are expected to assess their environmentalfootprint through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and identify and implement solutions that reduce resourceconsumption, energy usage, waste generation, and hazardous materials. RF hardware is a particularly relevant target for ecodesign improvements due to its widespread deployment across satellite payloads and user terminals. Given the large number of RF components typically integrated within phased-array antenna architectures, even incremental reductions in environmental impacts at component level can translate into significant cumulative benefits at system and programme level.Phased Array Antennas (PAAs) are a key enabling technology for next-generation communications,navigation, and sensing systems, providing electronically steerable beams, enhanced reliability, andoperational flexibility. Conventional PAA manufacturing relies on complex and resource-intensive productionprocesses. Additive manufacturing, and in particular 3D printing, offers a sustainable alternative approachthrough the use of functional polymers and carbon-nanotube-based materials while reducing waste, energyusage, water consumption, and chemical processing.While significant progress has been achieved for passive RF components, the development of active RFdevices, particularly RF transistors, remains a key challenge and a barrier to fully 3D-printed RF systems. The ESA Discovery activity "GHz Organic Printed Transistors" (GHioza) demonstrated sustainable 3D-printed transistor technology up to approximately 300 MHz which is state of the art but not sufficient for phase-array antenna applications. The activity aims to develop sustainably manufactured 3D-printed RF transistorsoperating in L-band (1-2 GHz) and integrate them with antenna elements on a common substrate,demonstrating the co-integration of active and passive RF functionality within a unified additively manufacturedplatform. A proof-of-concept active array demonstrator comprising two to three antenna elements andassociated active circuitry will then be developed, with electronic beam steering demonstrated using anexternal Software Defined Radio for beamforming and phase control.This activity encompasses the following tasks:- requirements analysis- material characterization- RF transistor design- antenna/component co-integration- additive manufacturing process development- prototype fabrication- RF testing and validation- beam-steering demonstrations- development plan- Simplified LCA analysis and Ecodesign trade off and selection.Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). 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