The main purpose of the CALIBRATE project is the update and test of the system control algorithms for Q/V band satellite communication systems and the estimation of its performance by means of a simulated test-bed using the outputs of an atmospheric channel simulator and actual channel measurements.
The test-bed, which is designed to use as input the information on status of the channels, consists of several components that are representative of an actual operational Q/V band system with a continental coverage area. The test-bed can take advantage of different types of inputs, i.e. data from a real experiment, NWP data, and a channel assessment algorithm exploiting beacon receivers, user terminals of operational Ka band SatCom systems.
The test-bed implemented in this activity aims at being a downscaled version of a real operational system due to the limited number and smaller dimension of the available beacon receivers simulating the channels of the system gateways, and the limited number of user terminals to be possibly used to control the SatCom system simulator. Moreover, the test-bed simulation cannot take into account all communication (range of modulation and codification settings) and technological (the network switching element) aspects. Nevertheless, the obtained results should permit up-scaling the outcomes of the study to a real operational system.
The Aldo Paraboni propagation (SCIEX) experiment represents the best data source for the test-bed simulation.
The bidding team directly operates 2 Ka/Q band beacon receivers in Italy (Tito Scalo and Spino d’Adda), 3 Ka/Q (in Toulouse, in Aussaguel ─ 15 km from Toulouse, and in Salon de Provence ─ 300 km from Toulouse) and 1 Ka (Le Fauga, 25 km from Toulouse) band beacon receivers in France, 2 Ka/Q band beacon receivers in Austria (both in Graz, with a site separation of few kms), and 2 Ka (Kjeller and Andøya) and 1 Q (Andøya) band beacon receivers in Norway. All the data collected by these receivers will be used as a key source for the test-bed.
The Alphasat Aldo Paraboni experiment can be extended to include a number of new test-bed configurations to assess the performances that a Q/V band SatCom system can achieve using a number of adaptive techniques to counteract dynamically adverse atmospheric radio channel conditions. This augmented Alphasat experiment can use the data collected by the Alphasat propagation terminals, operated by the bidding team, as input to the test-bed.
Because the extension of operations of the Aldo Paraboni payload beyond 2022 is currently under the evaluation of ESA and Member states participating to the ARTES 8 programme, the activity is divided into two separate contractual phases, one dedicated to the design and the other to the implementation of the test-bed.
This activity is expected to increase the technology readiness level of the items developed in the framework of the project from level 3 “Analytical and experimental critical function and characteristic proof of concept” to level 4 “Component and breadboard functional verification in a relevant environment”. In addition, this activity shall also perform the evaluation of the applicability of the obtained results to commercial Q/V band SatCom systems.
