Tenders Are Invited For Software Updates Sms, Material And Lorentz

Tenders are invited for Software Updates Sms, Material and Lorentz - Expro+ The ESA Antenna Laboratory operates several unique antenna and RF material measurement facilities, including the Sub-mmWave Scanner(SMS), LORENTZ cryogenic near-field scanner, and CATR Material Characterisation Facility. These facilities support antenna and RF characterisation activities covering a frequency range extending from microwave to sub-millimetre-wave frequencies and are routinely used in support of ESA programmes, technology developments, industrial activities and research campaigns.Operation ofthese facilities relies on dedicated custom-developed software that interfaces with motion control systems, network analysers and auxiliary equipment to perform automated measurements, collect measurement data and generate outputs suitable for post-processing andanalysis. Overthe past decade, this software has evolved through multiple development and maintenance activities, supporting successive laboratory upgrades and increasingly demanding measurement campaigns. The software currently comprises three principal application domains: SMS scanner control software. LORENTZ scanner control software. CATR Material Characterisation control software.In addition, a growing set of shared software components has been introduced to provide common functionality across facilities, including hardware abstraction, configuration management, measurement orchestration, data management and graphical user interfaces. Historically, software development activities were executed through a number of independent projects. Consequently, different facilities evolved at different rates and software versions diverged over time. Recent maintenance activities have established a common software management approach based on GitLab repositories, issue tracking mechanisms and shared software components, improving traceability and maintainability of the software assets. The LORENTZ and CATR applications now share a modern architecture built around common software libraries and hardware abstraction layers. The SMS software remains operational but is based on anearlier architecture and represents the principal remaining source of technical debt within the software suite. Long-term sustainability of the Antenna Laboratory software therefore requires continued maintenance, harmonisation and progressive migration towards acommon software framework.The software environment further depends on several third-party components, including software drivers and interfaces fromKeysight, ACS Motion Control, Trio Motion Technology and other equipment suppliers. Maintaining compatibility withcommercial operating systems, hardware drivers and measurement instruments is therefore an essential part of maintaining the operational capability of the Antenna Laboratory. As several ESA facilities depend on the availability, reliability and traceability of measurement data,particular attention must be given to configuration control, software version management, measurement file compatibility and preservation of laboratory know-how. The software shall therefore be maintained as an operational laboratory asset rather than as a standalone development project.- Objective(s) of the ActivityThe objective of the activity is to ensure the continuous operation, maintenance, evolution and long-term sustainability of the Antenna Laboratory software systems, while preserving compatibility with existing facilities, measurement workflows and historical measurement data.Read more Tender Link : https://esastar-publication-ext.sso.esa.int/ESATenderActions/filter/open