Small and medium business jets have very tight constraints on aerodynamics and drag. Satcom antennas must conform to these constraints. The SatMax antenna is a low-profile hybrid mechanical-electronic steerable antenna. It allows bi-directional high-speed IP connectivity on board light jets through Ku-band satcom systems. The project includes the antenna design and prototype to demonstrate system performance.

External Link to ESA Telecom website:
http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=29577
 

NATALIA - first-generation low phased array for consumer applications
The NATALIA antenna together with the Ku-mobile receiver front-end will create a new generation of mobile satellite terminals: slim antenna front-end, intelligent receiver and smart broadcast services for the mass market. Satellite reception in cars can be possible without disturbing design aesthetics, opening new markets for service providers, and also for other non-automotive applications.

Partners: IMST [D], JAST Antenna Systems [CH], Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - Laboratory of Electromagnetics and Acoustics (EPFL-LEMA) [CH], Fraunhofer IIS [D], Adelsy [CH], Eurospace [D], SES - Global [LUX]

External Link to ESA Telecom website:
http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=27952
 

The project development entails a miniature satellite communications user terminal known as "PocketSAT". This platform targets L-band mobile satcom services, including hand-held, land-mobile, and maritime. The technologies developed for PocketSAT are potential building-blocks for a variety of mobile satcom terminal products.

We are providing the L-band antenna systems with mechanical satellite tracking.

Partners: ComSine Limited [UK] , JAST Antenna Systems [CH], Institute for Information and Communication Technologies [CH]

External Link to ESA Telecom website:
http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=29766
 

Low-profile and low-cost hybrid mechanical-electronic steerable antennas for Ku-band broadcast to mobile vehicles.

The project is driven by the emergence of novel mobile multimedia applications requiring high-quality services and global coverage.The antennas need to be mounted on vehicles without affecting their aerodynamic and aesthetic profile.

There are two prototypes.

The Large Aperture Antenna (LAA) is able to receive DVB-S system signals in a mobile environment. The antenna can replace normal parabolic dishes to receive the same programs. It is compatible with existing SAT receivers and has a size of about 60 cm diameter and 7 cm of thickness.

The Small Aperture Antenna (SAA) is designed for the new Ku-band mobile system. Developed by SES Global and the Fraunhofer Institute, it targets multimedia broadcasting and podcasting to vehicles. This antenna can be used only in combination with the receiver specifically dedicated to this service (http://telecom.esa.int/mobilekureceiver). The target maximum size is 20 cm diameter and 7 cm thickness.
 
Partners: JAST Antenna Systems [CH], RUAG Aerospace [CH], Microbeam [CH], Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne [CH], SES - Global [LUX].

External Link to ESA Telecom website:
http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=27991
 

The SISTER Integrated Project started in November 2006 with JAST as one of the main partners. It promotes the integration of satellite and terrestrial communications with GALILEO to enable mass-market take-up by road transport applications.

The road transport market has a need for the integration of location-based services with communication. This need coupled with the extensive road transport market makes this market potentially extremely attractive.

SISTER will establish how satellite communications can be used as part of the operational implementation of ITS applications. It will also investigate how the satellite affects the operation of such services. SISTER will expand the extensive work already performed in this field in ESA, EU, and GJU projects.

JAST is the main partner for the development of integrated satcom and navigation front-ends for the SISTER architecture.

External Link to the SISTER-Project website:
http://www.sister-project.org
 

COOPERS (CO-OPerative Systems for Intelligent Road Safety) is a European research and development project within the Call 4 (Co-operative Systems and in-vehicle integrated safety systems) of the 6th Framework Programme by the European Commission - Information Society and Media. 

COOPERS focuses on the development of innovative telematics applications on the road infrastructure. The long term goal is a “Co-operative Traffic Management” between vehicle and infrastructure in the hopes of reducing the widening gap of the development of telematics applications between the car industry and infrastructure operators. 

The goal of the project is the enhancement of road safety by direct and up to date traffic information communication between infrastructure and motorised vehicles on a motorway section. 

External Link to the COOPERS-Project website:
http://www.cooper-project.org/