The objective of the R-SDRP (Resilient Software-Defined Radio Platform) activity is to design and validate a low-cost, resilient, and security-enabled software-defined radio platform for satellite applications, based entirely on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware. The activity aims to demonstrate how advanced SDR and FPGA technologies can be combined with modern cryptographic security mechanisms, including post-quantum cryptography, while remaining compatible with the cost, power, and resource constraints of future satellite payloads.

A key goal of the project (in partnership with OHB System AG) is to prove feasibility and architectural soundness rather than deliver a flight unit: the focus is on identifying optimal hardware/software partitioning, validating secure FPGA-based cryptographic functions, and assessing integration paths with satellite onboard computers. By limiting scope to a minimal but representative set of cryptographic algorithms and SDR functions, the activity provides concrete guidance for future European satellite missions seeking secure, agile, and affordable SDR payloads that can evolve over time in response to new threats and mission needs.