Fixed call for proposals for denmark for a system study on vde-sat addressing arctic needs (3a.251)

The high-level study objectives are summarised below:Timeline and high-level end-goal - Deliver, by the end of Q2 2027 at the latest, technical and programmatic elements to Danish governmental authorities and relevant stakeholders and policy makers, enabling them to make an informed assessment and, where appropriate, decision on the implementation of this strategic Danish initiative in theform of an Arctic-focused VDE-SAT infrastructure, including, e.g., development, validation, and deployment activities aimed at deployment no later than 2030.Technical Scope - Deliver a reference system baseline and related programmatic aspects, incl. options to implement the initiative using ESA framework and/or national schemes. The Danish Space Division and ESA can support with information about relevant ESA programmes as well as points of contact. The consortium shall, based on user requirements, specify system requirements and define, assess and consolidate the different options for a reference architecture, including a preliminary design of constellation, spacecraft, payload, and ground segments, as well as related development and deployment cost, schedule, and risks.Services scope - Address the needs of Danish public authority users for critical end-to-end communication services across their geographical areas of interest. The potential for commercial services delivered by private partners co-investing in the initiative must also be explored. Similarly, the possibility of including international partners, including authorities with similar needs in the Arctic, such as Canada and Norway, shall also be considered.Geographical Scope - Focus the study's coverage area on the Arctic, including Greenland, without excluding other regions where clear synergies exist, provided their inclusion demonstrably supports or strengthens the Arctic focus.Stakeholders' engagement - The consortium shall support the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science in their efforts to have all relevant Danish authorities converge on an appropriate set of objectives and requirements to prepare a potential future decision. This shall include consultations with Danish governmental entities such as the Danish Agency for Climate Data, the Danish Geodata Agency, the Danish Meteorological Institute, the Danish Maritime Authority, the Danish Emergency ManagementAgency, and the Danish Defence (and any other relevant entity, to be agreed with the Danish Space Division).

The goal of these consultations shall be to gather needs, present options/scenarios, and validate outputs (through e.g., organisation of workshops and interviews). Contact to these entities may be provided by the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science (after contract signature). Consultations with relevant stakeholders in Greenland should also be conducted as part of the study in order to assess the potential societal benefits for Greenland. Finally, the assessment shall also consider the inclusion of international partners (e.g., Canada, Norway) where deemed relevant.Consortium - The study shall be undertaken by Danish Prime and subcontractors, with subcontractors from other ESA Member States where relevant. During the study, the potential for a Danish-led industrial consortium to deliver the infrastructure in subsequent phases shall be assessed.