Validation of a new satellite communications protocol for long-term ATM needs

Within the scope of ICAO AMS(R)S SARPs document [1], three classes (Class A, B and C) of communication performance requirements for Air Traffic Management (ATM) are being proposed by the EUROCONTROL NEXUS group to cover future oceanic as well as continental airspace operational needs. These classes will cover first trajectory-based operations (SESAR Step2/Class B), and later performance based operations (SESAR Step3/Class A), while maintaining compatibility with existing satellite communications (SatCom) systems for current time-based ATM operations in oceanic areas (SESAR Step1/Class C). The objective of this paper is to introduce a SatCom (Class A) performance solution defined within ESA Iris ANTARES (AeroNauTicAl REsources Satellite based) project [2]-[3]-[4]. The solution will be able to accomplish the most demanding SESAR services (i.e. Full 4D) in the Future Communications Infrastructure (FCI) for the long term. This SatCom system is considered a Communication Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) enabler, as expressed in the SESAR Master Plan document [5], focused mainly in providing support to communications services. For this purpose, in the frame of the ANTARES project, a new SatCom Communications Protocol [2][4] was designed that makes use of innovative techniques to counteract the aeronautical mobile channel effects. In addition, in the ANTARES project a Validation Test Bed (VTB) has been developed, emulating real-time Full 4D operational scenarios, with the main goal of verifying that the Communications Protocol performances meet Class A. Finally, the Communication Protocol performance obtained will be compared to the Satcom Class A performance expectations, showing that the designed Communications Standard performance results (as TD95 and continuity) achieve the future ATM communications needs.