Input request for satellite spectrum monitoring system (ssms) design – sarao RFI

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), a facility of the National Research

Foundation (NRF), is mandated to manage and safeguard South Africa’s investment in advanced

radio astronomy infrastructure, including the MeerKAT telescope and the upcoming Square

Kilometre Array (SKA)‐Mid telescope. These world-class scientific instruments rely on pristine

radio frequency interference (RFI) conditions across multiple operational bands extending from

the UHF range (580 MHz) up to high-frequency bands above 15 GHz.

In recent years, the rapid proliferation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations and

expanded telecommunications activity have introduced increasing levels of RFI across frequency

ranges critical to radio astronomy. Of particular concern is the overlap between satellite downlink

transmissions in the 8.3–15.4 GHz range (SKA-Mid Band 5b) and the protected 10.6–10.7 GHz

primary astronomy band. These developments pose a direct threat to the integrity of radio

astronomy observations and highlight the urgent need for a dedicated, high-sensitivity monitoring

capability.

To address this, SARAO supported by the Department of Science and Innovation intends to

develop a Satellite Spectrum Monitoring System (SSMS). This system will be designed to

continuously observe, record, and analyse satellite transmissions that could impact scientific

operations at the MeerKAT and SKA sites. The SSMS will provide a critical tool for both technical

interference mitigation and regulatory engagement with national and international spectrum

authorities (e.g., the ITU).

The system will also serve a dual function: to protect the SKA radio astronomy environment and

to strengthen national spectrum management capacity through collaboration between SARAO,

the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), and the SKA Observatory

(SKAO). Its modular design will allow deployment at multiple SARAO sites, including the Karoo

Radio Astronomy Reserve and HartRAO, providing a flexible platform for continuous satellite

spectrum monitoring and data-driven enforcement of spectrum policies

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

3. OBJECTIVE OF THE RFI

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit input from industry on the

design, development, and specification of a Satellite Spectrum Monitoring System

(SSMS) capable of fulfilling SARAO’s operational and scientific requirements. The RFI

aims to identify mature, cost-effective, and adaptable technologies and solutions

that can be integrated within SARAO’s existing RFI monitoring framework.

Specific objectives include:

● Specification Development:

To gather technical and operational information from qualified vendors that will

inform the final technical specification of the SSMS, covering hardware, software,

and system integration components.

● Capability Benchmarking:

To assess existing commercial and research-based spectrum monitoring

technologies, including antennas, RF front-ends, data acquisition, and analytics

systems suitable for operation across 8.3–15.4 GHz, with priority given to the

10.6–10.7 GHz protected band.

● System Design Inputs:

To determine the most viable approaches for a modular, mobile, and ITU-

compliant monitoring platform capable of:

○ Real-time detection and classification of LEO satellite signals.

○ Correlation of detected events with satellite orbital data (NORAD

catalogue IDs).

○ Integration with SARAO’s control and data management infrastructure.

○ Scalable deployment at multiple observatory locations.

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

● Stakeholder Alignment:

To ensure that the design meets the operational needs of key stakeholders,

including the SARAO RFI and Spectrum Management Teams, the Spectrum

Management Group, and local regulatory authorities, while maintaining

compatibility with international radio-quiet zone standards.

Technology and Commercial Readiness:

To identify potential industry partners capable of delivering components or turnkey systems

meeting performance, environmental, and reliability requirements for long-term

deployment in remote Karoo condition. Participants would be requested to cost their

solutions if feasible while delivering on the following requirements.

USER NEEDS AND RATIONAL

ID Name Need Statement Rationale Source/

stakeholder

SN- ITU- The system needs to ITU plays a critical role in SARAO Spectrum

01 Compliant support satellite enforcing global satellite management

Monitoring spectrum monitoring in a frequency allocations and Team

Station manner that complies resolving interference. The

with ITU-recommended SSMS must support

standards and practices. monitoring that enables the

detection of violations and

generation of data suitable

for engagement with

international authorities.

SN- Mobile The SSMS equipment Designing for future mobility Commercial

02 Deployment enclosure needs a ensures rapid redeployment

Capability modular, standardized as requirements change or

design that allows the new sites become available,

station to be relocated to minimizing cost and

other radio-astronomy logistical complexity.

facilities with minimal

additional work.

SN- Room- The SSMS hardware A self-contained enclosure SARAO RFI

02a Sized/ (receiver racks, RF minimises new civil works,

portable conditioning, and simplifies shielding, and

Equipment processing servers) eases maintenance access.

Enclosure need to be housed in a

single, room-sized/

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

USER NEEDS AND RATIONAL

portable RF-shielded

enclosure

SN- Power The SSMS needs to Off grid solutions have a lot SARAO RFI

02b interface operate from standard of RFI complications

mains (AC) power so

that it can be deployed

without requiring

specialized or additional

power infrastructure.

The SSMS needs to be Real-time control and SN- Network SARAO RFI

remotely controlled and data reporting is required 02c interface

send data back over the

SARAO network.

SN- Satellite The system needs to Enables attribution of SARAO RFI

03 Tracking track individual LEO interference events to

Capability satellites across the sky satellite sources, supports

and link detected signals geolocation, and aids in

to specific satellites. regulatory enforcement.

SN- Real-Time The system needs to Real-time detection enables SARAO RFI

03a Satellite detect LEO satellite rapid identification of

Detection radio frequency signals satellite transmissions and

in real time, logging interference events,

frequency, timestamp, especially in protected

power level, and bands.

bandwidth.

SN- LEO The system needs to LEO satellites do not Sarao Spectrum

04b Satellite support mechanisms for broadcast names directly. management

Identificatio linking detected signals Accurate identification relies Team

n to uniquely identifiable on matching signal

LEO satellites, using observations with satellite

metadata such as databases. This is critical

NORAD catalogue IDs for regulatory reporting,

or international satellite identification, and

designators. technical validation.

SN- Orbital The system needs to Since LEO satellites do not SARAO Spectrum

04c Prediction integrate satellite orbit transmit identifiers directly, Management

for LEO prediction to support the predictive orbital models are

Identificatio identification of LEO necessary to correlate

n satellites associated signal direction and timing

with detected signals. with known satellite

positions. This enables

accurate satellite

identification and regulatory

traceability.

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

USER NEEDS AND RATIONAL

SN- Band 5b The system needs to Band 5b overlaps with LEO SARAO RFI,

04e Monitoring monitor the full Band 5b satellite downlinks and lies SARAO Spectrum

Focus range (8.3–15.4 GHz), adjacent to a protected Management,

with priority given to the astronomy band, making it Technical

protected 10.6– critical for RFI detection. Specialists,

10.7 GHz band. SKAO

SN- Field of The system needs to Enables prototyping under Technical

04f View initially support partial- resource constraints, while workshop

sky monitoring, with a supporting long-term

modular and scalable upgrade to full

architecture for future hemispherical scanning

full-sky coverage. capability.

(Ideally full sky

monitoring is preferred)

SN- Sensitivity The SSMS needs to be The system does not need

04g sensitive enough to telescope-grade sensitivity;

detect LEO satellite it only needs sufficient gain

transmissions across its and noise performance to

operational band (8.3 – reliably pick up typical LEO

15.3 GHz), including down-link levels above the

weaker signals near the site.

protected 10.6 – 10.7

GHz slice.

SN- Vigilant The system needs to Continuous and reliable Spectrum

05 monitoring maintain interference- monitoring enables Management

and free operations and proactive enforcement and team

enforcemen efficient spectrum protection of protected

t utilization. bands.

SN- Satellite The system must be The presence of a satellite SARAO Spectrum

05a Resource able to identify one needs to be known along Management

Utilization singular satellite within with its transponder output. Team.

its field of view and

correlate it with online

satellite tracking

resources.

SN- Interferenc The system must report Interference across the SARAO Spectrum

05b e across on how much of the band of interest is of Management

the band of spectrum is currently concern. Team.

being used by all visible interest

satellites.

SN- Out-of-band The system must report For enforcement - Spectrum

05c spectrum on the proportion of the Quantifying total Management

monitored spectrum interference across the team

currently being utilized band supports regulatory

by all visible satellites assessment and spectrum

occupancy analysis.

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

USER NEEDS AND RATIONAL

SN- Interactive The system needs to Dashboards enable rapid SARAO RFI

06 Dashboards provide an interactive situational awareness,

and dashboard for real-time facilitate decision-making,

Visualizatio visualization of and improve

n monitored spectrum communication between

data, satellite tracks, technical operators and

and interference management. Visual

statistics. analytics also support

historical trend analysis and

reporting.

SN- Interoperabl The system needs to To enable SARAO to SARAO RFI

07 e Data support interoperable implement its own Team, Spectrum

Sharing and data sharing protocols dashboards, event- Management

Storage and storage triggering logic, and post-

mechanisms that allow analysis workflows without

spectrum monitoring dependence on vendor-

data, metadata, and specific tools or formats.

events to be exchanged

seamlessly with SARAO

systems.

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

USER NEEDS AND RATIONAL

SN- Local The system needs to Reduces bandwidth usage, SARAO RFI

08 Processing perform local data enhances real-time

and Data processing, filtering, and responsiveness, and

Reduction event extraction on site, mitigates latency in remote

transmitting only Karoo deployments while

relevant or summarized maintaining data integrity

information to the central for critical events.

network.

SN Electronic The system needs to Electronic beam steering Technical

09 Beam support electronic beam enables fast, flexible, and Specialists -

Steering steering to dynamically precise pointing without Receivers

Capability direct the sensing field of mechanical movement. It systems

view toward satellites or supports satellite tracking,

regions of interest. enhances detection

sensitivity, and enables

advanced functions such as

interference attribution and

directional analysis.

4. Use Cases for Satellite Spectrum Monitoring and Reporting (Spectrum Management Team)

● Satellite monitoring has two primary goals, which are:

○ Goal 1: Evaluation of satellite resource utilization

■ Carrier and transponder level

■ Orbit position occupancy

■ Frequency occupancy

■ Orbit position and frequency assignment (Over long term usage)

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

■ Power flux-density (pfd) and other technical parameters compliance

■ Beam coverage

○ Goal 2: Detection and resolution of interference

■ Determination if the interference transmitters are mobile or fixed

■ Detection and technical analysis of interfering satellite

communication network

■ Determination of the exact position of terrestrial interferers

■ Invention and verification of emission parameters with license

conditions

■ Elimination of the interference

Modern satellite receiving systems should have the ability to perform real-time, non-

real-time (data is analysed later, known as post processing), and fixed time

measurements. The system should have a measurement bandwidth wider than the

typical satellite carriers being evaluated. The following RF parameters should be

measured in real time by the receiving system:

○ Centre frequency

○ Doppler frequency

○ Pfd in reference bandwidth and total pfd

○ Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (e.i.r.p)

○ Carrier-to-noise ratio

○ Transponder bandwidth and carrier bandwidth

○ Out-of-band spectrum

○ Received signal to noise ratio

4. EVALUATION OF AND NEXT STEPS

SARAO will evaluate responses based on their quality, alignment with requirements, and

overall feasibility. Elements from different submissions may be combined if beneficial.

Shortlisted respondents may be invited to participate in a follow-up RFP process.

5. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION

All RFI responses must be submitted to [email protected] on or before:

Wednesday, 18 February 2026 at 11:00AM.

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

6. RFI RESPONSE DOCUMENT OWNERSHIP

All RFI responses become the property of the NRF and will be used exclusively to support the

development of a satellite spectrum monitoring capability. SARAO will treat all submissions

confidentially.

7. DISCLAIMER

 This RFI is issued solely for the purpose of obtaining information to assist SARAO

in understanding capabilities and solutions available in the market. It doesn’t

constitute a solicitation, offer, or commitment to procure goods or services, nor

does it create any contractual obligation on the part of NRF- SARAO.

 Due to the specific need that this RFI process has to fulfil, NRF wishes to clarify

that this invitation is not intended to impede, amend or replace any current or future

procurement process that NRF has engaged in or will engage in.

 This RFI is a stand-alone information-gathering and market-testing exercise,

intended only to inform and assist NRF further decisions. No respondent, through

submission of information will gain any right to participate in any future process,

and participates herein on the basis that it is providing information voluntarily to

strengthen a potentially beneficial process for all stakeholders. In addition, no

participant shall be prevented or excluded from participation in the bidding process

due to submission of information in response to this RFI.

 All participants responding to this RFI process need to ensure that they have

received all information and remain solely responsible for satisfying themselves as

to the information required in responding hereto and are fully responsible for all

costs incurred in relation hereto and under no circumstances will any resultant cost

be borne by NRF.

 SARAO reserves the right to amend, or cancel this RFI, in whole or in part, at any

time and without prior notice. Neither SARAO nor the NRF shall be liable for any

costs or expenses incurred by respondents in the preparation or submission of their

responses to this RFI.

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY RESPONDENT

By signing this Request for Information (RFI) form, the respondent confirms that they have

read and understood the contents of this RFI, including the description and scope of

services outlined herein, and acknowledge the requirements as described in this

document.

_____________________ _____________________

Signature Date

Print name: ___________________________________________

On Behalf of the Supplier (duly authorized)

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Address: 2 Fir Street, Black River Park (North Gate entrance),

Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Tel: +27 (0) 21 506 7300 21 February

No specific requirements found