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The First Global Ground Station Network to Fully Exploit Microsatellites Data

Objective

The objective of the LEAF LINE project is to capture the value of the blossoming small satellites Space market, offering a complete service to small satellite operators able to maximise the connection time and data transmission rate. Nano/ microsatellites are opening up a range of new opportunities as they can perform many operations that, until few years ago, were carried only by large satellites, but at a fraction of the cost. Lots of new satellite operators (e.g. insurance companies, food companies, environmental agencies, research centers, etc.), are all asking for reliable, cheap, up-to-date and frequent data from Space. However, most of the telecommunications between microsatellites and the Earth are performed by point- to-point link with a single ground station (GS) and the standard connection is limited to around 50 minutes per day. This results in a poor usage of the GS, which remains inactive for most of the day. The LEAF LINE project will set-up a network of ground stations for managing satellite data, with substantial increase of connection time (up to 7 times for each satellite) and optimized usage of each GS (up to 12 hours a day). The service will be based on the following components:
1. The Leaf Space Ground Station, designed with three integrated antennas, capable of serving as a transceiver on different selected bands (UHF, VHF, S-band and X-band) through a multi-standard Software Defined Radio (SDR).
2. A multi-protocol ground stations network, which implements both the low-performance frequencies, VHF-UHF, and S- band and X-band, allowing an easy switching to the band needed for communicating with all the satellites in orbit.
3. The software infrastructure, which will guarantee the coordination of the entire network of GSs, and will be based on a user-friendly interface in order to facilitate customers during data uplink/downlink, proper tracking of satellites, and the handshake between several GSs serving the same satellite.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017

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Coordinator

LEAF SPACE SRL
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 312 062,50
Address
VIA GIACOMO LEOPARDI 7
20123 MILANO
Italy

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Nord-Ovest Lombardia Milano
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 874 375,00
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