You are cordially invited to attend the workshop on
Broadband Satcom Modem Technology
which is organised by the European Space Agency.
This event will take place
on the 17th of September 2013
at the ESA Technical Research Centre (ESTEC),
Keplerlaan 1, in Noordwijk, The Netherlands
- Escape Dance Room and will start at 09:00 hrs and end at 17:15 hours.
The purpose of the workshop is to provide an insight into the next generation of broadband satcom
modem technology and its benefits. It will also be an opportunity to find out more about specific
technology development projects which have been supported by the ARTES programme.
Since 2007, many technology developments to improve satellite return link technologies have been
initiated by ESA, through the ARTES 5.1 Programme. Recently a number of projects developing the
next generation of broadband technology have been completed and products are now appearing on the
market, supported by the ARTES 3-4 Programme.
The workshop will cover final presentations of some of these recently completed activities:
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ARTES 5.1 ‘Advanced Modem Prototype for Interactive Satellite Terminals’ (AMPIST), project
prime Space Engineering (I)
ARTES 5.1 ‘Advanced Modem Prototype for Interactive Satellite Terminals’ (ADMOST), project
prime STM Norway (N)
ARTES 3/4 ‘DVB-RCS2 Support in SatLink System’, project prime STM Norway (N)
ARTES 5.1 ‘DVB-RCS Next Generation Support and Verification Testbed’, project prime VeriSat
(N)
ARTES 5.1 ‘DVB-S2/RCS Mobile Broadband Verification Test-Bed’, project prime Space
Engineering (I)
1) ‘Advanced Modem Prototype for Interactive Satellite Terminals (AMPIST)’: Space
Engineering (I), Thales Alenia Space (I), Ulisse (I)
The activity consists of developing a laboratory test-bed including a modem prototype (terminal and
hub sides) implementing some innovative physical and MAC layer algorithms/techniques suitable to
enhance the performance of broadband interactive satellite terminals implementing the DVB-RCS
standard. The objective of these techniques is to improve performance and reduce the overall terminalplus-service cost.
Objectives of the AMPIST Project are the design, the development and the implementation of a Return
Link based on an advanced DVB-RCS to be used in a complete Test-Bed which also includes the
DVB-S2 Forward Link available as results of the DEDICATION Project.
The improvements of the enhanced DVB-RCS compared with the standard are mainly:
 Physical Layer: (i) enhanced FEC schema based on Turbo-Phi Co-decoder, (ii) high order
modulation schemas and (iii) interference cancellation capabilities against ACI/COI disturbs;
 Data Link Layer: GSE protocol;
 Access Schema: CRDSA technique (also in Symbol- Synchronous mode).
2) ‘Advanced Modem Prototype for Interactive Satellite Terminals (ADMOST)’: STM Norway
(N), Thales Alenia Space (E), VeriSat (N), DLR (D), TurboConcept (F), ENST Bretagne (F)
The activity consists of developing a laboratory test-bed including a modem prototype (terminal and
hub sides) implementing some innovative physical and MAC layer algorithms/techniques suitable to
enhance the performance of broadband interactive satellite terminals implementing the DVB-RCS
standard. The objective of these techniques is to improve performance and reduce the overall terminalplus-service cost.
3) ‘DVB-RCS2 Support in SatLink System’: STM Norway (N)
DVB-RCS2 is the second generation of interactive satellite system standards. This revision provides
new features for SatLink, like:
 Higher order modulation on return, 8-PSK and 16-QAM as well as QPSK,
 The enhanced 16-state turbo coding on return,
 A well-balanced waveform design per MODCOD for return,
 ACM per burst on return, through waveform-per-burst from a waveform set with variants of
two alternative waveform lengths,
 Efficient link layer encapsulation, on forward and return, with an Ethernet-like attachment of
the higher layer protocols,
 Support for virtual satellite networking.
4) ‘DVB-RCS Next Generation Support and Verification Testbed’: VeriSat (N), DLR (D)
The main objective of this activity is to design and develop a software-only based Testbed
implementing and fully validating key functions of the DVB-RCS2 standard.
The Testbed is designed and implemented to provide manufacturers and researchers with a validated
reference design of DVB-RCS2 sub-systems implementing key RCS2 functions. The reference design
focuses on the RCS terminal functions. The hub functionality will be emulated as required for the
validation of the terminal functions.
5) ‘DVB-S2/RCS Mobile Broadband Verification Test-Bed’: Space Engineering (I), Thales
Alenia Space (I), Mavigex (I)
The project activity consists in developing a laboratory test-bed capable of emulating in real time a
complete satcom system. The system implements the DVB-RCS mobile specifications (ETSI EN
301790 v1.5.1), applicable to both LOS (Line-Of-Sight) and NLOS (non-LOS) conditions and for both
aggregate and not-aggregate type of traffic. The targeted scenarios are the aeronautical, maritime and
land-based (railway and vehicular) ones.
To register, you are kindly asked to email stephane.combes@esa.int.
Agenda
Time
Subject
Speaker
09:00
Welcome
ESA
09:15
ARTES 5.1 ‘Advanced Modem Prototype
for Interactive Satellite Terminals’
(AMPIST)
Space Engineering (I), Thales Alenia
Space (I), Ulisse (I)
10:45
11:00
Coffee break
ARTES 5.1 ‘Advanced Modem Prototype
for Interactive Satellite Terminals’
(ADMOST)
STM Norway (N), Thales Alenia Space
(E), VeriSat (N), DLR (D), TurboConcept
(F), ENST Bretagne (F)
ARTES 3/4 ‘DVB-RCS2 Support in
SatLink System’
Lunch break
STM Norway (N)
14:00
ARTES 5.1 ‘DVB-RCS Next Generation
Support and Verification Testbed’
VeriSat (N), DLR (D)
15:30
Coffee break
15:45
ARTES 5.1 ‘DVB-S2/RCS Mobile
Broadband Verification Test-Bed’
17:15
Event closure
12:30
13:15
Space Engineering (I), Thales Alenia
Space (I), Mavigex (I)