Connect 03/04

CONNECT03_04 12/7/04 12:13 PM Page 1

AlphaBus in Race to the Market Visitors to the ESA stand: Mr Ehud Olmert, Israel’s Vice Prime Minister (first left), Mr Maurizio Gasparri, Italian Minister for Communications (second left) and Mr Giuseppe Viriglio, ESA’s Director for EU and Industrial Programmes (right middle) Europe's first 12-18 kW telecommunications satellite platform known as These are just a few examples of current ‘AlphaBus’ is slated to begin its Development Phase-C/D in December 2004 with a predevelopments in the Preparatory Phase, which E S A T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s N e w s l e t t e r newly created European consortium. This follows the preparatory phase, during involve companies from Belgium, Germany, ESA Telecom which the level of co-operation between ESA and CNES has been exemplary, and France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, represents the first step in a race to reach the market. Switzerland and the United Kingdom, striving to Shows Satcom become part of the AlphaBus consortium which Potential Receive To make this possible, AlphaBus began a Phase-B in 2002, which included the initiation will work together to benefit the European space regular of over twenty projects as a Preparatory Phase. The results have been promising with programme and give Europe a competitive edge. ESA Telecom had the opportunity to demonstrate each having been designed to push the limits of technology and led by industry teams Jack Bosma, Head of the Large Platform Mission the value of satcom-based solutions to the public as updates from from a variety of European Member States. They are progressing well and will help secure Office, wants AlphaBus to be a true European well as invited dignitaries at the recent international ESA Telecom Dear Reader, the much-needed enabling technologies for AlphaBus. endeavour: "To realise a project of this scope, it event SAT Expo 2004, held in Vicenza Italy. will be necessary to build up an interdependent by e-mail Our commitment to supporting an ever-wider spectrum of companies in our European solutions consortium that is going to be competitive Alcatel Space’s DVB-RCS interactive, collaborative Member States is stronger than ever. ESA Telecom will continue to stimulate and efficient in terms of industrial return. and video-conferencing tool attracted great Would you like to be kept updated on Current industry to create leading-edge technology, and to maintain and defend the Though the consortium is led by an Participation from every ESA Member State is attention. Most observers noted how impressive Opportunities, the Start-up Initiative, Calls for competitiveness of the European Industry. The activities supported by ESA unprecedented alliance between the very important." the tool was in terms of both its flexibility and Ideas and the many other things happening at address the need for continuous innovation in satellite telecommunications French companies Alcatel and potential for applications ranging from video- ESA Telecom? In order to receive information technology and the need to match the demands of Satellite Operators, Service Astrium, equipment providers The future is high powered conferencing to telemedicine and distance learning. regularly via e-mail, subscribe by completing a Providers and users in a very complex and competitive marketplace. spread around Europe and including Among the attendees was Bernard Mathieu, short webform, selecting the particular type of We look forward to working with you in 2005. SMEs also play an important role. The importance of AlphaBus for Europe is clear. Chairman of ESA’s Joint Communication Board information that you wish to receive: Two competing projects by Jena- Although well represented in the small- and (JCB), who got the opportunity to take part in a live The ESA stand at SAT Expo 2004 http://telecom.esa.int/subscribe On behalf of the ESA Telecom team, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year. Optronik of Germany and Galileo medium-sized satellite markets, European satellite interactive session between the ESA stand and the Avionica of Italy are each working on power ranges above this have been restricted to Alcatel Space remote site in Cannes France. Choose between: an Active Pixel Sensor Based Star Alcatel's Eurostar and Astrium’s SpaceBus, both ESA Telecom-funded projects NESA and REMSAT 'e-CONNECT': Tracker predevelopment. This critical of which are limited to 12 kW. What this has The ESA Telecom stand was also honoured by the were there to provide ample evidence of the broad The electronic version of the ESA component will provide a cost meant is that between 1998 and 2003 the 4 billion visit of the Italian Minister for Communications, range of applications that satcom solutions can Telecom newsletter. advantage over current CCD-Based Euro global market for high-power satcoms has Mr Maurizio Gasparri and Mr Ehud Olmert, Vice offer the user community. Many participants at SAT Pietro Lo Galbo Star Trackers. been left entirely to US manufacturers. Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Trade, Expo 2004 were surprised to learn that even the E-mail alert ‘Telecom News and Events’: Head of ESA Telecommunications Department Labour and Communications of Israel. Mr Olmert fighting of forest fires is an area in which satcom Updates on projects and workshops. Similarly, the Belgian company Euro Heat Pipes, with a team of 20 engineers and The AlphaBus design removes the growth remarked, "As I get my first look at the can be a very useful aid. Likewise, the NESA technicians, is developing new high-capacity heat-pipe technology. As part of the thermal constraints of existing European platforms by possibilities supplied by this DVB-RCS ambulance received special attention by virtue of its E-mail alert ‘Telecom Announcements’: regulation system, heat pipes are key elements of any spacecraft. Satellites based on an providing up to 50% more payload power – up to technology, I realise that we are already living satellite link to the local Vicennes Hospital. Including opportunities to participate in ESA Telecom initiatives. AlphaBus platform may contain several hundred metres of heat pipes. 18 kW – and significantly increasing the payload in the future." In this issue: mass capability and accommodation area. With Mr Giuseppe Viriglio, ESA's Director of European Added to this, a host of other preparatory projects will ensure European the expected retirement of 100 satellites between A variety of attendees from several Non- Union and Industrial Programmes, made a E-mail alert ‘Calls for Ideas’: • Satellite Two-way Broadband Internet Access – Your opportunity to influence the shape of ESA's future competitiveness in the coming decades. A new-generation high-power electric 2006 and 2011 and the trend towards increasingly Governmental Organisations (NGOs) came to presentation on the relationship between HDTV Soon to be included in the ESA Technical Assets programmes. propulsion system is being developed for the efficient station-keeping of the greater masses and powers, the need for learn how DVB-RCS could be applied to info- and satcom during the Session on High Definition AlphaBus satellites. A new 500 N apogee boost motor will not only benefit AlphaBus becomes very apparent. poverty solutions in Africa, South America and Television. In it, he discussed how HDTV might • Telecom Applications Workshop 2004 – AlphaBus, but will be an important asset for European space projects. A fibre- East Asia. Other visitors took note of the potential affect future satcom development and how they E-mail alert ‘The Annual Workplan’: Shared knowledge and experience in satcom applications optic gyro will provide a strategic non-US source for this crucial technology. AlphaBus is Europe's answer to satisfying the applications for banking services and the can mutually benefit from each other. ESA Telecom activities for the forthcoming year. growing demand within the commercial Large automotive industry. • Bridging the Digital Divide – Furthermore, a predevelopment is underway to take advantage of the new- Platform Market for the coming 15 years. Analysis shows benefits for broadband connectivity in Europe CONNECT Go to http://telecom.esa.int/subscribe to generation of Li-Ion cells, which are more efficient and will improve the Of additional interest to participants in the three- submit your subscription! • AlphaBus in Race to the Market – competitiveness of AlphaBus. To view the AlphaBus Preparatory Project Pages, day event were the benefits that two-way Published by: Development Phase-C/D begins please go to: http://telecom.esa.int/alphabus technologies can bring to users. Demonstrations ESA Publications Division c/o ESTEC, PO Box 299 Saab Ericsson Space of Sweden and EADS CASA Espacio of Spain are of SES-Astra’s SATMODE project to deliver low- Please note that the e-mail alerts and the hard • SatExpo in Vicenza/Italy – each involved in competing predevelopments to prepare the cost two-way TV communication via satellite, and 2200 AG Noordwijk copy are intended for companies and institutes in The Netherlands ESA Telecom shows Satcom potential manufacturing technology for the central tube of the satellite Aramiska's DVB-RCS fast internet via satellite, ESA Participating States only. platform. produced many positive reactions from on- Editors: Ninja Menning & Bruce Battrick lookers. Design and Layout: Leigh Edwards No. 03/04 http://telecom.esa.int E-mail: [email protected] CONNECT03_04 12/7/04 12:13 PM Page 3

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"The European Space Agency (ESA) inspires the vision for Europe’s future in space and, through a diverse range of projects, develops the strategies needed to see it realised"

Telecom Applications Analysis Workshop Shows Benefits for Satellite Two-way Broadband 2004 Broadband Internet Access soon The Telecom Applications Workshop 2004 was a Connectivity to be included in the great success, with over one hundred people Rural areas attending on each of the two days, and many more in Europe ESA Technical Assets following it at various remote sites throughout The benefit ratio is, Europe. however, significantly Thanks to the sponsorship of the Belgian National Delegation (Belgian Federal Science Policy Bridging the Digital Divide will remain a key issue lower in rural than in Office, formerly OSTC), from the first quarter of 2005 the User Support Office will be offering Most notably in Greece, where over forty persons ESA Telecom Applications in Europe for the coming years. ESA and the urban areas, primarily Workshop at ESA/ ESRIN Telecom projects a 2-way satellite Broadband always-on Internet access service based on attended on each of the two days. Mr Liapis, the in Frascati (I) European Commission wish to address the because the costs are the DVB-RCS standard. Greek Minister for Transport and Communication, potential of space-based technologies, in higher in rural areas while the benefits per user opened by stating: "Our first priority is to place conjunction where appropriate with other are comparable. Satcom solutions The service is based on the Multi Service Provider Platform developed jointly by Belgacom (B) Space Applications at the service of the citizen". This year's workshop saw Project Teams News from the SatLabs Group, was presented by systems, to bring affordable broadband to and Newtec (B) in the framework of the ARTES 4 Project 'Broadband in the Sky'. The HellasSAT satellite made this link possible, from Europe and Canada meet and present their Chairman Xavier Lobao. Francesco Feliciani, Head disadvantaged or neglected areas such as rural The analysis also looked at 'un-met demand’, The potential role of satcom in bridging the Digital connecting ESRIN to the Greek Ministerial projects and give their opinions on a wide of Applications and organiser of the workshop, and mountain regions, islands and far-flung which was defined as the number of enterprises Divide across Europe may be key if the objective Projects also have the opportunity to receive equipment 'on loan' from a small pool of Amphitheatre in Athens. array of topics. It opened with a Plenary session, concluded the event by discussing New outlying regions. and consumers in areas not currently covered by of offering near 100% connectivity across the EU terminals for access to the satellite network. A typical configuration would include an covering aspects of ESA Telecom’s Applications Opportunities. terrestrial broadband networks who would take up is to be achieved. It is estimated that satcom may ODU with a 90 cm antenna and 2 W amplifier, an IDU and POP router. Available data The purpose of the workshop, held on 10 and 11 Initiative, a Multimedia Market Study, the To underpin the policy decisions, ESA assessed a broadband services if they were made available at prove to be the optimal method (in terms of rates range from up to 2048 kbit/s in download and up to 512 kbit/s in upload over November 2004, was twofold: UK’s Perspective on Satellite Multimedia In addition, throughout the two-day event, four Cost Benefit Analysis of satcom and alternative the prices prevailing in areas where those services financing and speed of rollout) to meet the most of Europe, as served by Eutelsat’s Atlantic Bird 3 positioned at 5 deg W. Applications and the Venture Academy, for which projects provided practical demonstrations. technologies, which had concluded that are available. Findings showed that the majority of demand from many of the 4.7 to 7 million • Firstly to share the knowledge and experience a questionnaire was handed out to probe interest These included the NESA ambulance with satellite widespread adoption of broadband in Europe 'un-met demand' for broadband in Europe is unserved homes across Europe, especially those The ESA DVB-RCS Internet access service will be activated in the first quarter of in satcom applications that has been built up in this potential USO initiative. connection, the TeLeCare project for home health would have significant economic benefits. forecast to be in the rural regions. in the most challenging locations. Only 1 million 2005. To this end, all interested Projects that wish to exploit this new opportunity over recent years within the ESA Telecom care via satellite, the recently completed OTV of these otherwise unserved homes could be in the framework of ARTES activities are kindly invited to make early contact programmes. What followed fell into six areas of ESA Telecom’s Channel, as well as EDIBS from F5, which had The above-mentioned PriceWaterhouseCooper Given the likelihood that commercially acceptable carried by existing satellite systems, even with the USO. • Secondly to help individuals and companies Applications: Telemedicine and Medical just been honoured with an award from the analysis indicated a total benefit/cost ratio of returns on investment in broadband networks in including the expected incremental growth of involved in ESA's Telecom Applications Education, Location-Based Services, Broad- Austrian Ministry of Commerce. 1.69x for the provision of broadband services these areas will not be forthcoming for at least those systems over the next ten years; larger For more detailed information, please refer to Projects get acquainted with each other and band Access and Services, B2B & B2C, Disaster across the European Union, taking into account 10 years, the private sector is unlikely to be numbers of users would require the introduction http://telcom.esa.int/uso/technicalassets or contact the encourage relationship building among Relief, Emergency and Security, and finally For more information about the workshop and to the more material net benefits estimated to arise persuaded of the commercial merits of rolling out of new, more cost-efficient satellite systems. Programme Development Officer, Andrea Cotellessa, at participants. Harald Hackenburg from the Distance Learning. access the presentations (Member States only), in the period after 2013. This should be regarded terrestrial broadband networks into these regions, [email protected]. Austrian company F5 echoed this sentiment by please go to http://telecom.esa.int/taw2004 as a strongly positive ratio, as it suggests that the despite the fact that these areas hold the key to The study can be downloaded from the ESA saying: "The workshop is an excellent The workshop ended with an informative briefing rewards of rolling out infrastructure to bridge bridging the Digital Divide in Europe. As a result, Telecom website: opportunity to build up interdisciplinary from Andrea Cotellessa, of the USO, on Market the Digital Divide in Europe are likely to be it is expected that between 13 and 20 million contacts and other possible synergies." Development and Technical Assets for Projects. substantially greater than the investment required people across Europe will remain unserved. http://telecom.esa.int/digitaldivide to do so.

http://telecom.esa.int E-mail: [email protected] CONNECT03_04 12/7/04 12:13 PM Page 3

ForFor furtherfurther informationinformation aboutabout ESAESA Telecommunications Telecommunications visitvisit ourour websitewebsite at:at:

http://telecom.esa.inthttp://telecom.esa.int

"The European Space Agency (ESA) inspires the vision for Europe’s future in space and, through a diverse range of projects, develops the strategies needed to see it realised"

ForFor furtherfurther informationinformation aboutabout ESAESA Telecommunications Telecommunications visitvisit ourour websitewebsite at:at: http://telecom.esa.inthttp://telecom.esa.int

"The European Space Agency (ESA) inspires the vision for Europe’s future in space and, through a diverse range of projects, develops the strategies needed to see it realised"