Within this wide scope, satellites have the opportunity to demonstrate their potential for safety-of-life communications.Satellites have so far mainly addressed non-safety-critical communications, such as passenger telephone calls and internet connectivity.

ESA, with the support of the European space industry, Eurocontrol, air navigation service providers, and national space agencies, is preparing to carry out all the necessary work for satellite communications to be considered under the SESAR programme.By 2020 global air travel is expected to double, resulting in increasing congestion on the ground and in the air. This situation requires a new, independent air-to-ground link for aircraft communications.

Satellite answers the challenge
Reducing delays, increasing safety and being more cost effective are the three main points that the EC is targeting, and satellites can be part of the solution. Satellites can not only deploy additional capacity over vast areas rapidly but also tailor it to regional requirements. By interacting seamlessly between continental, oceanic and polar routes, satellites offer a unique opportunity for safety improvements and the provision of additional services to crews.

Furthermore, oceanic routes are still served by the High Frequency (HF) band which allows only the most basic forms of communication between pilot and ground. Added to these problems, various countries currently operate different systems, placing another burden on aircraft systems.A satellite system would provide a much more homogenous solution and could act as a complement to a terrestrial network, or as the primary system in some areas. When coupled with navigation systems like Galileo, satellite communications can even contribute to optimising aircraft trajectories.

Iris: Linking the sky to the Earth
Making this a reality will require a new programme within ESA Telecommunications to offer support to European industry in developing the necessary technologies. The programme is named Iris, after the Greek mythological personification of the rainbow and messenger of the gods, responsible for linking the sky with the Earth.The programme will support in-orbit verification and certification of the pre-operational system, technical support to deployment of the full system, and preliminary work leading to an enhanced future role for satellites.

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Related Links
ESA Telecom for professionals
Eurocontrol - SESAR
SESAR consortium
European Commission - SESAR
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