Description du projet
Un nouvel amplificateur haute puissance et haute fréquence prend en charge la technologie 5G multi-porteuse par satellite
Face à l’effervescence du trafic de données et des applications qui exige une vitesse, une précision, une fiabilité et une sécurité extrêmement élevées, les satellites traditionnels ont du mal à suivre la cadence. Les nouveaux satellites à haut débit élargissent les bandes de fréquences qu’ils utilisent pour prendre en charge un grand nombre d’utilisateurs et de gros volumes de communication, ce qui revient à ajouter des bandes à l’autoroute. Cela passe par l’élargissement du spectre pour inclure la bande Ka (26,5-40 GHz) et les bandes Q/V (33-75 GHz). Les amplificateurs de puissance à l’état solide (SSPA pour «solid-state power amplifiers») conventionnels n’étaient pas capables de répondre à la demande de puissance élevée à des hautes fréquences. Le projet FLEXGAN, financé par l’UE, ouvre la voie à un SSPA en bande Ka à la fois bon marché, efficace et délivrant une puissance élevée afin de prendre en charge les applications par satellite 5G embarquées.
Objectif
5G demand requires the deployment of Very High Throughput Satellites (vHTS) than can satisfy the expected needs implying a growth opportunity for GEO satellites. This kind of spacecraft offers high capacity, large number of users and communication volumes (1 Terabit/s per satellite), with lower cost per GBPS, increasing the flexibility since the satellite capacity is allocated where it is needed. Future vHTS satellites will make use of Ka/Q/V gateways where the forward payload link will operate in K-band. Traditionally, demand for power at high frequencies has resulted in TWTAs as the logical amplifier of choice; this is due to the fact that traditional SSPA technology was unavailable at similar performance levels. However, technological advancements such as linearization, miniaturisation, and the use of different materials such as GaN, have levelled the playing field for SSPAs. The objective of FLEXGAN is to design, develop and test in a representative space environment (TRL 5) a low cost high power and efficient Ka-band GaN SSPA with RF output power varying capability, with high innovative & low loss recombination schemes and able to operate in multicarrier operation mode for on-board 5G satellite applications. The operational frequency band is 17.3-20.2 GHz and the objective output power 125W. The main innovations that FLEXGAN brings are: 1) Bring known terrestrial technologies by TTI to space; 2) SSPA able to provide the required output power maximising the power added efficiency to compensate the downlink fading losses; 3) SSPA able to transmit in multicarrier mode w/o memory effect; 4) Implementation of highly innovative linearization techniques; 5) use of lighweight composite structures to decrease the weight of the overall SSPA. In order to have a 100% European SSPA an MMIC based on D01GH technology from OMMIC will be designed, manufactured and tested. FLEXGAN will allow to reinforce and corroborate the use of GaN technology for space applications.
Champ scientifique
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationstelecommunications networksmobile network5G
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringastronautical engineeringspacecraft
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsradio technologysatellite radio
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinateur
39011 Santander
Espagne
L’entreprise s’est définie comme une PME (petite et moyenne entreprise) au moment de la signature de la convention de subvention.