Study of an integrated communication, navigation and surveillance satellite system for air traffic management

Advanced surveillance, communications and navigation are the main functions needed for an efficient air traffic management. In order to perform them over the entire Earth, including areas (such as oceans and desert regions) not covered by ground stations, it is possible to exploit the potential advantage of satellite technology. A novel architecture based on low-elevation orbit satellites is described and evaluated. The constellation is designed in order to supply the surveillance and data link capabilities of advanced secondary surveillance radar (SSR) Mode S, as well as to allow satellite communication and (by means of a GPS-compatible system) navigation functions.