BAE Systems has built a system that works to help military aircraft pilots obtain situational awareness of general air traffic through satellite technology. The Web Enabled Data Links platform is designed to collect information on commercial aircraft to guide aviator decision-making during flights, the company said Wednesday. WEnDL can access data via automatic dependent surveillance broadcast technology that employs […] More
Iridium Communications CEO Matt Desch said the company expects to complete the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation this year to help Aireon meet its timeline for delivery of aircraft monitoring service through the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system, NASASpaceflight.com reported Friday. “The reason why that's important isn't for any services that we have today, it's for Aireon ““ which is a […] More
Hawthorne, Calif.-based firm SpaceX has launched five satellites for Iridium Communications along with two Earth observation spacecraft from NASA and the German Research Center for Geosciences as part of a ride-share agreement. Iridium said Tuesday the launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base is the sixth out of eight Iridium NEXT deployment missions that SpaceX agreed […] More
U.K.-based air traffic control services provider NATS has made a $69 million equity investment in Aireon in order to help speed up the development of technologies for aviation surveillance. NATS said Wednesday its decision to buy a 10 percent equity stake in Aireon comes as the latter prepares to offer a space-based service ““ Aireon […] More
NASA has selected Sagetech to provide a transponder technology in support of the agency’s initiative to explore detect-and-avoid methods to ensure safety of unmanned aircraft system operations in national airspace. Sagetech said Monday it will provide the company’s MXS transponder for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System Project of NASA with other government […] More
Five Iridium NEXT satellites that are scheduled for launch on May 19 have arrived at SpaceX's launch site in Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to go through pre-launch processing procedures. Iridium Communications said Wednesday each satellite will be mated in the dispenser, fueled, stacked on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's payload adapter and encapsulated […] More
Iridium Communications‘ fifth set of NEXT satellites that launched Friday includes Aireon-built global air traffic surveillance technology payloads. Aireon said Friday its Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system is designed to provide aircraft tracking coverage with a 15-minute update interval and help airlines test aircraft tracking systems via space-based ADS-B. The International Civil Aviation Organization and European Aviation Safety […] More
Iridium Communications plans to launch the third batch of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites on Sept. 30 aboard a SpaceX-built Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The scheduled launch would bring the total number of Iridium NEXT satellites in space to 30 as part of a potential $3 billion program to replace an existing constellation with 75 new communications satellites […] More
Iridium Communications CEO Matt Desch has said the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation works to help track the location of commercial aircraft across trans-oceanic routes in support of the Federal Aviation Administration's Next Generation Air Transportation System program, NASASpaceflight.com reported Friday. Desch said the company has equipped its Iridium NEXT satellites with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast receivers designed to enable planes to communicate […] More
Raytheon has received a potential six-year, $49 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to integrate a surveillance technology into T-38A/B and A-10 aircraft platforms. The Defense Department said Wednesday the company will provide Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast equipment for T-38A/Bs and A-10s in an effort to help the Air Force comply with a Federal Aviation Administration mandate. FAA requires that […] More
