Aireon has announced the successful launch and
deployment of the first ten satellites hosting its space-based automatic
dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) system.
Part of the Iridium NEXT satellite
constellation, Aireon’s space-based ADS-B network will transform air traffic
management capabilities, providing real-time air traffic surveillance and flight
tracking across 100 percent of the planet.
Currently, more than 70 percent of the earth,
including oceanic and remote airspace, has no existing air traffic surveillance.
Aireon congratulates Iridium Communications and its partners, including Thales
Alenia Space, Orbital ATK and SpaceX, on a successful first launch of the
Iridium NEXT constellation, and looks forward to additional successes.
“Today is a landmark moment in history for
global air traffic surveillance, air traffic safety and the aviation industry as
a whole,” said Don Thoma,
CEO, Aireon. “This successful first launch brings us one step closer to changing
the way the world flies by enabling the ability to track aircraft anywhere on
the planet. Once our global ADS-B surveillance service is fully deployed, every
ADS-B equipped aircraft can have its precise location accounted for 24/7.”
Iridium has partnered with SpaceX for a series
of seven launches over the course of 18 months out of Vandenberg Air Force Base
in California. All 81 Iridium NEXT satellites are equipped with the AireonSM
payload.
Once in orbit, each satellite will undergo
extensive testing by the Iridium team. After approximately 40-60 days Iridium
will hand-off the ADS-B payloads to Aireon for verification of on-orbit
technical specifications. Aireon will then conduct rigorous independent testing
and validation of the space-based ADS-B system for approximately 60 days. As
part of this testing and validation process, Aireon’s ADS-B receivers, which
were manufactured by Harris Corporation, will provide air traffic surveillance
data through the Aireon network to the Service Delivery Points (SDPs) at
partners NAV CANADA, NATS, ENAV, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), as well as
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) William J. Hughes Technical Center in
Atlantic City, New Jersey.
“Few technologies exist today that by simply
reimagining their implementation can have such a dramatic, positive impact on
safety, efficiency and the environment,” said
Neil Wilson,
president and CEO, NAV CANADA. “Aireon is poised to revolutionize air traffic
management over much of the planet, and we’re looking forward to an aviation
industry where everyone will reap the benefits of 100 percent global air traffic
surveillance.”
Aireon, formed by Iridium Communications and
investors NAV CANADA, ENAV, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and Naviair, will
be operational in 2018. The advent of space-based ADS-B is expected to show a
remarkable ability to increase safety and efficiency while simultaneously
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as noted in studies conducted by the Flight
Safety Foundation and Purdue University, in addition to signed agreements with
many of the world’s leading ANSPs.
“This launch signifies the beginning of a new
era in air traffic surveillance that would not have been possible without the
incredible work of our talented team and the support of all of our partner
organizations,” said Eamonn Brennan,
chief executive of the Irish Aviation Authority. “This is a transformational
technology that will equip Aireon customers with the most advanced air traffic
surveillance capabilities available.”
The network will also provide a new service
known as Aireon ALERTSM, a free global emergency-aircraft tracking service that
will be hosted and operated by the IAA. Earlier this year, Aireon also announced
a partnership with FlightAware, and together launched the GlobalBeacon flight
tracking service. GlobalBeacon is designed to help airlines comply with the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Global Aeronautical Distress
Safety System (GADSS) requirements, and will provide airlines with
minute-by-minute flight tracking data.
"Many congratulations to both Aireon and
Iridium on the success of their first launch,” said
Juliet Kennedy,
operations director for NATS. “We look forward to further successes with the
remainder of the launch programme and what this will mean for operations over
the North Atlantic, the world's busiest area of oceanic airspace.”
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