Archives for August 2023

 A world first trial of space-based VHF voice communications has been successfully completed by Skykraft as part of their development of satellites to provide space-based aviation communications and surveillance services. This trial supports the work on operational space-based aviation VHF services leading up to the World Radio Congress 2023 (WRC-23). 
  

Voice radio communications in the VHF band are used for communications between pilots and air traffic controllers. VHF radios are standard aircraft equipment around the world and are vital in ensuring the safety of air travel. Currently, VHF voice communications services are only available when the aircraft is within range of a ground-based radio. This means that large areas of the Earth’s surface, including much of the world’s oceans, are not covered.  

Skykraft’s trial of space-based voice communications in the VHF aviation band demonstrates the feasibility of satellite communication directly with aircraft using existing equipment. The use of satellites in place of ground-based radio systems will enable global real-time communications between pilots and air traffic controllers for the first time.  

The testing took place in the southern area of Australia’s Flight Information Region. Skykraft worked in collaboration with Airservices Australia to implement appropriate test protocols that ensured that there was no interference to the operational Air Traffic Management (ATM) system. 

“We are proud to have taken another step to bringing this world-first capability to market,” said Dr. Michael Frater, CEO of Skykraft.  

“VHF voice and data communication that covers the entire extent of an aircraft’s journey is the missing piece for Air Traffic Management and will unlock efficiency gains globally.”  

The five satellites used for this trial of VHF voice services have undergone six weeks of successful operational testing prior to the trials of space-based ATM services. Skykraft’s initial constellation continues to be under rapid development with two launches already in 2023, and more planned for 2024. 

“The success of the current round of test activities is a tribute to the capabilities of the engineering team at Skykraft. We recognized the need to deliver these space-based ATM services to ANSPs (Air Navigation Service Providers) as soon as possible and our team of engineers, project managers andtechnicians has delivered” noted Mark Skidmore, Chair of Skykraft. 

Skykraft’s Air Traffic Management Constellation 

Skykraft is developing a constellation of more than 200 satellites in low-Earth orbit to provide global ATM services from space, providing: 

• Surveillance services using ADS-B and UAT. 
• Multilateration services for:
  • validation of ADS-B and UAT messages received from aircraft, and 
  • independent aircraft position data in the event of GNSS failure. 
• VHF voice communications. 
• VHF data communications. 

Skykraft’s initial constellation will enter service in 2025.  

A highlight of Skykraft’s next space mission in Q2 2024 will be a demonstration of multilateration to provide independent aircraft position data in the event of GNSS failure. 

AAC Clyde Space and partners have agreed to move into the phase 3B of the xSPANCION project, wherein the project will be completed with the manufacturing of ten novel spacecraft, of which four will be launched within the project’s framework — the UK Space Agency, through the ESA Pioneer Partnership Projects, will co-fund the Group’s investments in the project with 4.5 million (approx. SEK 51.7 million).

The xSPANCION project aims to develop an innovative satellite constellation service and is expected to be operational in Q4 2024. The decision to move into phase 3B was taken while completing the phase 3A with satellite platform qualification, scaling production capacity with increased automation and the development of cloud-based software for delivery of data services to users. The first four Earth observation satellites will become part of AAC Clyde Space’s Space Data as a Service (SDaaS) constellation, whereas the six following satellites will be offered for client payloads.

Through Space Data as a Service agreements, customers can access space-based data more quickly and cheaply, without the need to own and operate space assets. Customer agreements can take three different forms; pay-per-access, non-exclusive access by annual subscription, or exclusive access under a capacity subscription. Since the Group aims for a flexible and dynamic constellation, it has, together with its partners, agreed to move into this final phase before finalizing customer agreements. Larger customer agreements will be announced when they are finalized.

The xSPANCION project is structured as a Public Private Partnership, wherein AAC Clyde Space Ltd. and its partners, Bright Ascension Ltd., the University of Strathclyde, D-Orbit UK, Alden Legal UK and the Satellite Applications Catapult are working in partnership with the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency to develop a Space Data as a Service offering.

“Good quality and timely data are key aspects of our SDaaS offering and we are delighted to see the xSPANCION project move into its final stretch. These satellites will offer customers new data sets, in a timely manner, opening a variety of opportunities to collect information that will improve life on Earth.” Luis Gomes, CEO, AAC Clyde Space