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Feb. 25, 2013
Following a three-year development programme and the supply of several flight units, COM DEV Europe, of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK, has now secured its first full-scale production contract for its new TT&C transponder. The Authority to Proceed (ATP) is in excess of CDN$1 million and allows COM DEV Europe to start long lead item procurement. The final contract will be agreed in the coming months.
TT&C transponders are the vital link from the spacecraft to ground through which all of the commands to the spacecraft are received from ground stations and the health status reports sent back to Earth. Such transponders are therefore critical to the success of the mission and have to be designed to survive the rigours of space and perform reliably for up to seven years in orbit.
COM DEV Europe has designed and qualified a very light, compact and efficient unit by using the latest Gallium Nitride (GaN) power amplifier technology and advanced digital data processing techniques to minimise power consumption. The design also allows the unit to be easily reconfigured by using FPGA technology.
The development was part-funded through the European Space Agency ARTES programme, with support from the UK's Technology Strategy Board. The support that is given to UK companies enables them to invest in leading-edge product developments with large potential exports benefits.
COM DEV Europe's new TT&C transponder has attracted interest from around the world and it has been selected for a major programme involving initially 14 TT&C units with the potential for an additional 12 units to be ordered in 2013 or 2014. The equipment will be built in COM DEV Europe's facility in Aylesbury and the first batch of deliveries will be completed within 16 months.
COM DEV Europe's President, Rob Spurrett, said: "This new order is a really important milestone for this product. It enables us to move into full-scale production and establishes our product as the preferred choice for a leading spacecraft supplier. It has been a long journey, and the support of ESA and TSB has been extremely important."
