Large-scale controller pilot data link communications emulation testbed [air traffic management]

NASA's Glenn Research Center (GRC) is responsible for the advanced communications for air traffic management (AC/ATM) project. GRC's large-scale CPDLC (controller pilot data link communications) emulation testbed provides the capability to study the impact of data link traffic loads on the NAS communications infrastructure. The testbed provides a means of generating and observing the performance of large scale aeronautical data link communications using different subnetworks. End-to-end ATN (aeronautical telecommunications network) message (CM (context management) and CPDLC) emulation is provided through script-driven, departure-through-arrival scenarios that can support a full range of communications test activities. The capability to use up to 160 aircraft in an experiment, coupled with the testbed's performance measurements, provides the means to assess the number of aircraft that a subnetwork can support and meet the FAA's performance goals.