Thales Alenia Space Spain

Thales Alenia Space Spain

Partner

In its 30 years of Space Heritage from its creation, Thales Alenia Space España has participated in over 350 Satellite Programs worldwide. TAS España participates in all market segments, such as: Science & Earth Observation: TAS España is competence centre for medium resolution optical payloads within the group, being heavily involved in the Ingenio, Sentinel 3 and Meteosat Third Generation satellites thus providing us with a solid backlog to build upon our earth observation capabilities. TAS España is a traditional supplier of TT&C and Digital units for main worldwide space agencies science and observation space programs; Navigation: TAS España was in charge of the development and supply of the S-Band Dual Mode TT&C Subsystems and the Clock Monitoring and Control Units (CMCU) for the four GalileoSat In Orbit Validation (IOV) Phase Satellites; Space Infrastructure: A remarkable Thales Alenia Space España’s achievement is the family of Spread Spectrum Transponders developed and delivered (Phase C/D) for the ATV Program both for the TDRSS and Proximity Links. They have been certified by NASA as TDRSS compatible and constitute a first in Europe and an alternative to the American manufacturers; Telecommunications: Thales Alenia Space España has been strongly involved in more than 80 telecom Commercial and Military Satellites programs world-wide including TT&C Equipment and Subsystems, Passive RF payload equipment and Digital Processing Units. Thales Alenia Space España presents a sound position as telecommunication systems designer. More specifically, TASE has specialized in next generation IP-based satellite communication systems using On Board Processing.

Organisation description

General description

In its 30 years of Space Heritage from its creation, Thales Alenia Space España has participated in over 350 Satellite Programs worldwide. TAS España participates in all market segments, such as:

Science & Earth Observation: TAS España is competence centre for medium resolution optical payloads within the group, being heavily involved in the Ingenio, Sentinel 3 and Meteosat Third Generation satellites thus providing us with a solid backlog to build upon our earth observation capabilities.

TAS España is a traditional supplier of TT&C and Digital units for main worldwide space agencies science and observation space programs; Navigation: TAS España was in charge of the development and supply of the S-Band Dual Mode TT&C Subsystems and the Clock Monitoring and Control Units (CMCU) for the four GalileoSat In Orbit Validation (IOV) Phase Satellites; Space Infrastructure: A remarkable Thales Alenia Space España’s achievement is the family of Spread Spectrum Transponders developed and delivered (Phase C/D) for the ATV Program both for the TDRSS and Proximity Links. They have been certified by NASA as TDRSS compatible and constitute a first in Europe and an alternative to the American manufacturers; Telecommunications: Thales Alenia Space España has been strongly involved in more than 80 telecom Commercial and Military Satellites programs world-wide including TT&C Equipment and Subsystems, Passive RF payload equipment and Digital Processing Units. Thales Alenia Space España presents a sound position as telecommunication systems designer. More specifically, TASE has specialized in next generation IP-based satellite communication systems using On Board Processing.

Role in the project

TASE shall play a triple role in PROMISE:

  1. TASE will coordinate the PROMISE project. As coordinator will take charge to guarantee that the planned developments are executed in time, assuring that the committed deliverables are presented in due date and with the requested quality levels.
  2. As end user, TASE will provide inputs for the specification of the PROMISE Supply chain and for the IPs to be included in the PROMISE library. In the same way will help in the definition of the Pilot Circuit and will assess the performances of this Pilot Circuit, evaluating the potential market opened by those performances as they enable different applications (missions depending on criticality and orbits depending on the achieved radiation hardness levels…)
  3. As expert in component validation and qualification, TASE will be in charge of the radiation test campaign for the PROMISE Pilot Circuit. As such, TASE will develop the test boards for the test vehicles, will execute the radiation tests and assess the space worthiness of the device based on the results of those tests. In the same way, if need be, TASE will recommend radiation hardening techniques to be applied when using the device in certain radiation environments to be implemented either around the device or inside of it in a future release.

Significant infrastructure and/or any major items of technical equipment, relevant to the proposed work.

TASE has operative in Tres Cantos (Spain) an optical chamber (ISO 5) for cameras and sensors testing. This chamber has already been used to integrate INGENIO Focal planes and to test MTG, ULISE and other optical payloads. In addition to this, TASE has in place a complete manufacturing clean room with more than 30 people and capability for manual and automatic mounting for electronic space qualified equipment operating from DC to Ka bands. TASE also has a specific system integration area, where entire satellite panels implementing telecommunication subsystems can be integrated, harnessed and tested. Complete test clean room, including equipment and system test benches, thermal and vacuum chambers for environmental tests and an anechoic chamber for EMC testing. As well, a complete satellite telecom system simulator, including link simulators and an On Board Processor operative breadboard and its corresponding ground segment system (Management and Control Centres) is available for Space Router testing TASE has a complete CAD/CAE/CAM system including MATLAB, OrCAD, ADS, HFSS and Microwave Wizard for simulation from DC to RF. MENTOR GRAPHICS, BOARD EXPEDITION for circuit design and manufacturing, Verilog and Sinopsys for VHDL design and Catia 5 for Mechanical Design. TASE has a complete Space Qualified test facility including electrical and environmental test benches for a wide variety of Space subsystems. This facility includes a complete FPGA and ICU electrical test equipment (EGSE) as well as thermal, EMC and vacuum chambers for equipment validation and vibration tables for mechanical testing.

Linked projects and initiatives

  • H2020-VEGAS: This project targets the full space qualification of the NanoXplore BRAVE small and medium FPGAs. In this project TASE is in charge of the radiation test campaigns and radiation performance assessment for the devices as well as will develop radiation hardening techniques for these devices.
  • ESA-SSDP: TASE is developing a complex mixed signal ASIC for sensor Data Processing. This device is targeted for the ESA JUICE mission and the developments performed in it will feed the activities to be performed by TASE in this project.
  • ARTEMIS-EMC2: TASE is leading the Space living lab of this Project. In this living lab and in cooperation with TTTech the concept and performances of the Deterministic Ethernet will be tested on a representative demonstrator.
  • PHASER: HIGH SPEED, HIGH FREQUENCY ELECTRO-PHOTONIC ADC FOR SPACE ENABLED ROUTERS. Project funded under FP7 (Grant No: 607087) where a high-speed ADC converted disciplined by a femtopulse laser is used to digitize a full telecom channel into baseband without intermediate frequency conversions.
  • SEPHY aims to increase the European competitiveness by developing an ITAR-free and radiation hardened 10/100-Base-T Ethernet transceiver (PHY) taht aims to be used in a TTethernet system for space applications. TASE is involved in the PHY development, validation and radiation testing.