ABATE: aeronautical satellite communications for multimedia services

The paper provides the description of an advanced aeronautical satellite system, using the Ka frequency bands, under study by a European Team leaded by Alenia Aerospazio in the frame of the Advanced Communications Technology Service (ACTS) programs of the Commission of the European Communities. The project named ACTS Broadband Aeronautical Terminal Experiment (ABATE) pursues the following objectives: to perform feasibility studies relevant to advanced broadband aeronautical mobile communication system architecture meeting the service and terminal requirements defined by qualified satellite operators; to define the satellite channel models for the Ka band (20/30 GHz); to define a broadband aeronautical terminal and develop a prototype model; and to demonstrate bi-directional aeronautical interactive mobile multimedia service for passengers and crew with flexible data rate assignment, from few kbps up to 2 Mbps. The paper addresses the service requirements, system design and network architecture, terminals and technological/system trials.