TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT OF SATELLITES FOR CONUS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. VOLUME I: COORDINATED AIRCRAFT-TO-SATELLITE TECHNIQUES

A number of satellite system techniques have been suggested as candidates to provide ATC surveillance, communication, and/or navigation service over CONUS. All techniques perform position determination by multilateration using a constellation of satellites. They can be categorized as follows: (1) Coordinated Aircraft-to-Satellite Techniques (CAST), (2) Random Access Aircraft-to-Satellite Techniques (RAST), and (3) Satellite-to-Aircraft Techniques(SAT). A technical assessment is made of the various techniques with no one particular technique emerging as superior; several feasible alternatives are identified. The assessment indicates that satellite based techniques for CONUS ATC can be developed without relying on high risk technology. This volume deals with CAST; RAST AND SAT are treated in companion volumes. A system employing CAST could operate by having each aircraft transmit only in response to an interrogation from a satellite. The position of the aircraft is then obtained by multilateration using the arrival times of its response at four or more satellites. A digital message can accompany each interrogation or response. By properly coordination the interrogations, mutual interference between different response can be avoided. The critical technical aspects of CAST are explored with special emphasis on signaling formats, avionics, the satellite antenna and susceptibility to jamming.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper copy also available in set of 4 reports as PB-237 235-SET PC$16.00.
• Corporate Authors:

  Lincoln Laboratory

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  Lexington, MA  United States  02173

  Transportation Systems Center

  55 Broadway, Kendall Square
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142
• Authors:
  • Orr, R S
  • Schneider, K S
• Publication Date: 1974-1-31

Media Info

• Pagination: 132 p.

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00080437
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: ATC-26-Vol-1 Proj. Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-TSC-241
• Files: NTIS
• Created Date: Feb 11 1975 12:00AM