The European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) provides decision-makers with an informed view on mid- to longterm issues relevant to Europe’s space activities. In this context, ESPI acts as an independent platform for developing positions and strategies.

ESPI was established following a decision by the Council of the European Space Agency (ESA). Based in Vienna, it is structured as an association under Austrian Law. It incorporates a number of member institutions drawn from European agencies, operators and companies.

Logica is a global IT and management consultancy company headquartered in Reading, United Kingdom.

Logica is a management consultancy, outsourcing and IT services and solutions company. Its activities include supporting the missions of over 150 orbiting satellites.  

Space Micro Inc specializes in payload and communications equipment for satellites.

Space Micro is proposing technologies that enable Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) electronic devices to be deployed in space. Radiation in space is damaging to electronics. Space Micro has patents for mitigating radiation effects on state-of-art commercial electronics. Space Micro offers space-qualified radiation hardened microelectronics, from radiation hardened by design (RHBD) technologies to space rated single board computers (RH SBC) and radios. Space Micro offers a fast space radiation hardened line of Proton™ Series RH computers to include the Proton200k™ DSP-based, Proton300k™ FPGA and Proton400k-L™ Multi-Core PowerPC-based processors. In addition to satellite computers, Space Micro offers satellite communications equipments to include compact µSDR™ radiation hardened software defined radio, µSGLS™ Space-Ground Link System, µSTDN ™, µX-Band ™ and µKa-Band ™ transmitters, transponders and Solid State Power Amplifiers (RH SSPA). Other Space Micro products include ProtonX-Box™ Avionics Suite, IPC5000™ Image Processing System, SEMS™ Space Weather Sensor Suite and Divert Attitude Control System (RH DACS). Other Space Micro developed technologies include TTMR™ & Patented (Time Triple Modular Redundancy) and H-CORE™ & Patented “Watch Dog” circuitry for Single Events Functional Interrupt (SEFI) space radiation mitigation. Technologies currently under development include DDR2 SDRAM and Monolithic RH Flash memories for advanced space processors. Space Micro is an employee-owned company based in San Diego, Calif., USA.

In addition to radiationed hardened electronics, Space Micro also designs novel materials and non-destructive evaluation techniques in the Advanced Materials Division. 

Clients include NASA, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). 

Radiation Hardened Computer Platform with Reconfigurable FGPAs

The Proton300k™ computer platform is a high performance radiation hardened processing solution that meets the challenges of the harsh space environment. Several advanced technologies are brought together in the Proton300k™ to provide industry leading performance, power, and radiation hardening. The Proton300k™ computer platform can accept several reconfigurable FPGAs to accommodate a wide variety of space applications.

Need

Commercial digital signal processors (DSPs) and FPGAs suffer from radiation effects in the space environment, particularly single event upsets (SEU) and single event functional interrupts (SEFI). Furthermore, traditional radiation hardened computer suppliers have struggled to deliver performance and user-programmability while maintaining radiation hardness. The Proton300K™ utilizes Space Micro’s patent-pending Time-Triple Modular Redundancy (TTMR™) and Hardened Core (H-Core™) technologies to solve the SEU and SEFI issues commonly encountered with DSPs and FPGAs.

Highlights

In addition to its radiation hardening, the Proton300k™ has a modular architecture, so that it can accommodate a number of FPGAs as well as various memory and communication bus options. Its low power requirements also make it ideal for a wide variety of space applications.  SEU mitigation is handled with the on-board DSP. This mitigation can be turned on or off. This allows the utilization of the full power of the FPGAs during non-critical aspects of the mission, while mitigating SEUs during critical phases.

Applicability

With the capability to accept several reconfigurable FPGAs, the Proton300k™ can be customized to accommodate the needs of a variety of satellite and launch systems. This includes processing of image and sensor data, advanced algorithms, or many other applications in LEO or GEO orbits.

STK is a free system modeling and mission analysis application and software development kit for space, defense and intelligence engineers and analysts. Use STK to model complex systems (aircraft, satellites, ground vehicles), along with their sensors and communications, in the context of the mission environment.

•High-fidelity spatial mechanics engine
•Software development kit for integration and deployment
•Detailed model and simulation creation
•Customizable report and graph styles

L-3 is a prime contractor in Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C³ISR) systems, aircraft modernization and maintenance, and government services. L-3 is also a leading provider of a broad range of electronic systems used on military and commercial platforms. Our customers include the U.S. Department of Defense and its prime contractors, U.S. Government intelligence agencies, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Justice, allied foreign governments, domestic and foreign commercial customers and select other U.S. federal, state and local government agencies.

The Satellite Control and Operation System 2000 (SCOS-2000) is the generic satellite Mission Control System (MCS) software infrastructure developed and maintained by the European Space Agency (ESA/ESOC) in collaboration with European industry

L-3 Telemetry-West (L-3 TW) is proud of its long and rich heritage providing cryptographic communication devices for Department of Defense as well as commercial applications. With over 35 years experience, we have embedded a variety of National Security Agency devices such as KGV-68, KGV-21, MYK-1, CDH, Caribou, Centurion, Cardholder and Pegasus into high-reliability airborne and space applications. With our strong spaceflight heritage, we are a recognized industry leader in Type 1 design, parts selection, radiation hardening, NSA approval and space qualification as evidenced by over 500 units launched (including over 50 cryptographic units). L-3 TW is a demonstrated low-risk solution for all your secure communications requirements.  The Command Decryption Unit (CDU-100) is an integrated decryptor unit providing security capabilities for satellite communications links. The CDU-100 secures uplink data and provides command authentication in a small lightweight housing. The CDU-100 has 64 bits of telemetry data that reports health and status and is designed for missions up to 15 years. It supports data rates of up to 1Mbps utilizing 16 selectable keys.

FEATURES
• Space qualified
• Total Dose/SEE hardened
• 1 Mbps uplink
• 16 keys
• NSA approved
• Flight Heritage on numerous commercial domestic and international programs
• Supports both Caribou and Centurion Algorithms

SPECIFICATION
Decryptor; Centurion or Caribou Algorithms available
Data Rates; 125 bps to 1 Mbps
Size; 5.0" L x 2.5" W x 1.0" H
Weight; 0.6 lbs (265 grams)
Power; 0.3 W
Input Voltage; +5 V
Input Clock; 4 MHz
Surge; < 2 Amps for < 300 msec
Operating Temperature; -24°C to +61°C
Vibration; 19g rms
Radiation; Total Dose/SEE hardened
Tempest; NACSIM 5100A Compliant
EMI; MIL-STD-461C/D (Optional)

Telespazio VEGA UK Ltd is a private company in the European Space sector, working with Space agencies, satellite operators and manufacturers worldwide. It provides support for the full programme life-cycle  of space missions; from design to development and operations.

Founded in 1978 under the name of VEGA, it became   VEGA Space Ltd in 2010, and then Telespazio VEGA UK Ltd in March 2012.

The company can look back on 35 years' involvement in many European Space Agency mission and many other European and international programmes worldwide. 

The  Boeing 601 satellite is a body-stabilized geostationary satellite. 

The Boeing 601 was introduced in 1987 to meet anticipated requirements for high-power, multiple-payload satellites for such applications as direct television broadcasting to small receiving antennas, very small aperture terminals for private business networks, and mobile communications. The basic configuration features as many as 48 transponders and offers up to 4,800 watts. 

A more powerful version, the Boeing 601HP, made its debut in 1995. The HP versions can carry payloads twice as powerful as the classic Boeing 601 models, through such innovations as gallium arsenide solar cells, advanced battery technology, and an optional xenon ion propulsion system. The 601HP features as many as 60 transponders and provides up to 10,000 watts.