Aeronautical Satellite Assisted Process for Information Exchange through Network Technology (Aero-SAPIENT) project: The initial trials

The current National Air Space (NAS) infrastructure is becoming saturated with increased air travel and NASA is leading many technology activities that address aviation system capacity and safety concerns. The insertion of communication and networking technologies into the NAS promises greater connectivity, interactivity, and more effective decision making. The infrastructure will be enhanced to handle more traffic, provide safer operations, enable innovative flight operations services, and enable new cabin services. One such NASA activity is the Aeronautical Satellite Assisted Process for Information Exchange through Networking Technology (Aero-SAPIENT) project. This project includes the design of sub-system prototypes and the investigation of satellite-based data sharing, information integrity and security in a multi-protocol environment. This paper describes the technical objectives of the initial flight technology demonstration including the network and satellite communication technologies, as well as the utilization of various applications