TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT OF SATELLITES FOR CONUS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. VOLUME II: RANDOM ACCESS 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), (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 RAST; CAST and SAT are treated in companion volumes. A system employing RAST could operate by having each aircraft transmit a unique signature periodically, without any coordination of transmissions. The position of an aircraft is then obtained by multilateration using the arrival times of its signature at four or more satellites.

• 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:
  • Schneider, K S
  • Orr, R S
• Publication Date: 1974-2-28

Media Info

• Pagination: 110 p.

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00080438
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: ATC-26-Vol-2 Proj. Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-TSC-RA-3-8
• Files: NTIS
• Created Date: Feb 11 1975 12:00AM