AVIATION SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

Aircraft wireless networks

-Vijayasaradhi

an aircraft, a satellite link, and a ground station

Sky is Not the Limit

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Theory of Operation

Why Essential
Internet connection to passengers Data and Voice volumes

Frequencies
Omega navigation10 - 14 kHz ADF 190 - 1750 kHz HF 2 - 30 MHz Marker beacon 74.85, 75, 75.-5 MHz VOR/LOC 108 118 MHz VHF COM 118 - 136 MHz Glide slope 328 335 MHz GSM 400 450 496 MHz GSM 850 824 - 894 MHz GSM 900 876 950 MHz DME 960 - 1220 MHz TCAS/ATC 1030, 1090 MHz GPS 1575 MHz

GSM 1800 1710 1880 MHz European UMTS 1880 - 2025, 2110 2200 MHz GSM 1900 1850 - 1900 MHz IMS band: 802.11b, Bluetooth 2446.5 - 2483.5 MHz Low-range altimeter 4.3 GHz Microwave landing system 5.03, 5.09 GHz 802.11a 5.15 - 5.35 GHz Weather radar 5.4 GHz 802.11a 5.725 - 5.825 GHz Weather radar 9.3 GHz Sky radio11.7 GHz DBS TV 12.2 - 12.7 GHz

Theory of Operations
Aviation satellite communication provide voice and data services for aviation safety services. New type of avionics SDU (satcom data unit) will be deployed and operated with global satellite In addition to existing aircraft voice and data communication systems, ground based server will be deployed for data service. Server will provide connectivity with the existing aviation data networks, such as ARINC and SITA in support of AAC, AOC, and ATC data communications.

Air to Ground Voice / Data

Air to Air Voice/data

Supports
supports voice,data, fax, and messaging from Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) Services basic voice calling (telephony), short burst data, and RUDICS (TCP/IP)

Segments
Space Segment (66 sats) System Control Segment Gateway Segment Subscriber Segment

space segment
66 Space Vehicles in six low earth orbital planes through the earths polar axis orbital period 100 minutes and an average velocity of 16557 MPH. SV provide the communication links between the aircraft/aircraft/ gateways. L-Band (1610 to 1626.5 MHz) 3Main Mission Antennas (MMA) links aircraft SDU and the SV. Each MMA projects a pattern of 16 beams to the ground

System Control Segment

central management function Components
Telemetry tracking and control sites (TTAC) Control Facilities (CF) Operational Support Network (OSN).

Gateway Segment
Setup and maintain basic telephony services. Provide messaging and data services (including Direct Internet, RUDICS, dial-up data Short Burst Data (SBD). Interface to the PSTN, or leased lines Interface to the Constellation Gateway functions. Messaging processing and services Management and billing functions.

Gateway
Gateway is split into two functional areas:
The gateway management System (GMS) The gateway operational elements

Gateway is comprised of the following network elements:

1) GSM switch (SSS) 2) Earth Terminals (ET) 3) ETC Transmission Subsystem (ETS) 4) ETC Communications Subsystem (ECS) 5) Message Origination Center (MOC) 6) Notification Center (NC) 7) Web and Email messaging server (WEMS) 8) RUDICS 9) ETC Short Burst Data Subsystem (ESS)

Subscriber Segment (Avionics)

ISU, L-band transceiver (LBT) SDU (LBT and a I/F) Antenna permanent number stored on the SIM card Mobile Subscriber ISDN Number (MSISDN) Cockpit audio control and recording systems, the aircraft communication and reporting system (ACARS) Multi-purpose control and display units (e.g., CDU and MCDU)

Ground Based Data Server

conduit and traffic controller for the data for SDU and aviation networks (e.g., ARINC and SITA networks), and/or leased lines to air traffic service providers in support of AAC, AOC , ATC messaging

Services Supported
Voice Service
Acquisition Access

Voice Service
Acquiring a traffic channel on a SV (Acquisition) by the subscriber unit ( SDU) Accessing the gateway is process of obtaining the SDUs access to the network which can include: Geolocation - Call processing location determination Aircraft SDU Parameter Download Registration/Location update Authentication of SDUs SIM including TMSI assignment (Authentication) Call Establishment is the processes of setting up a call which include: Originating a call from an SDU (MOC) or PSTN via the gateway (MTC) Terminating a call at an SDU (MTC) or PSTN number via the gateway (MOC) Call Maintenance is the process of maintaining a connection which include Handoff, Reconfiguration (cut through/intercept/grounding). Call Release Call

Call Handling Elements

Acquisition
Acquisition: SDU obtaining a bidirectional Traffic Channel, between the SDU and a Space Vehicle (SV). SDU user taking action to request a service that requires a channel, or by the SDU via M/CDU Classes:
Network Iridium LLC Use Aeronautical Safety Services Fire, Police, Rescue Agencies Emergency Calls Regular Subscribers

Access
Access process
determines the SDU location w.r.t Service Control Areas defined in Earth Coordinates

immediately following Acquisition.

Location GPS/Nav/CPLD systems accuracy By relative a/c to SV geometry

Call
Call Establishment
Registration / re-registration Call from aircraft SIM verified gateway alerts SDU ringing

Call Maintenance
SDU handed off between SVs SDU handed off between beams of SV SDU handed off different channel in same beam

Call Release

Data Link
two type of data service SBD /RUDICS
Short Burst Data Service SBD
Aircraft (MU/CMU)to Ground server

RUDICS is circuit switched data service

integrated data solution remote asset monitoring, control, and data file transfer

Operations
Connectivity Calling Characteristics (GSM delay 375 ms) Security (Locked phases)
Handling of Miss-directed PIN /Fraud Protection /Denial of Service

Quality of Service Measurement System Outages and Maintenance

Planed / unplanned /notification

Avionics