NAVISP Final Presentation of Element 2-063 "Digital Modem for Two-Way Satellite Time Transfer"

The Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer (TWSTFT) modem is designed to allow highly accurate transfer and/or comparison of time among two or more ground stations via a satellite bent-pipe transponder. The main goal of the proposed project from ELTVOR CZ was to develop a modem for Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer (TWSTFT), based on a fully digital implementation, exceeding the current state-of-art performance, and finished to allow small series industrial production and operation requirements. The main motivation for the project is to provide a replacement for the currently dominating type of modem whose performance is impaired by an obsolete analogue design.

The objectives of this activity were:

• The development and manufacturing of a digital, independently designed modem for TWSTFT;
• The demonstration capability to receive existing TWSTFT community signals from GEO satellites;
• The testing of a Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer (TWSTFT) link between two remote UTC stations over a generic GEO transponder.

The Eltvor ELT-TT-21 modems for Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer (TWSTFT) were tested over a satellite transponder at SIGSO (~GEO) orbit. The absolute timing error compared to local UTC replicas was ~ 1 ns, which is similar to the uncertainty of the reference UTC difference measured by GNSS time transfer techniques. As an outcome of this activity, the ELT-TT-21 modem is considered operational and ready for market.

Funded by NAVISP Element 2, which drives competitiveness in Europe’s Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) sector, this project highlights the transformative potential of Time Transfer capabilities.

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