JOHN SOPINSKI/THE GLOBE AND MAIL 66 SOURCE: IRIDIUM

Clear skiesIn partnership with Nav Canada, Iridium’s new satellites have been designed to improve worldwide air-traffic communication. Current systems rely largely on ground-based operations and do not extend more than 240 kilometres into the ocean, leaving significant blind spots. The satellite network will allow aircraft to fly closer together and adjust course more accurately, leading to fuel savings.

This next-generation satellite will offer faster and more reliable communications compared with the current version. It will allow partners such as Aireon access to its global satellite network. In addition to the 66 satellites in orbit, there will be six in-orbit spares as well as nine spares on the ground.

By 2017, Aireon hopes to deploy its ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) space-based system in order to track aircraft in real time around the world. This would ensure continuous coverage in areas previously unreachable by the current radar-based system.

Iridium NEXT satellite

Main mission antenna L-band

Feeder link antenna

Weight: 860 kg

Cross link antenna

Feeder link antenna

Solar array wing

Aireon’s global aircraft surveillance systemIridium plans to put a network of 66 NEXT satellites about 780 kilometres up in low Earth orbit. Each satellite will be connected to four others and carry payloads such as Aireon’s global aircraft surveillance system.

Satellite network

Current global radar surveillance with gaps in real-time coverage*

*Estimate

How new surveillance system would work in ADS-B equipped planes

Deployed wingspan: 9.4 metres

Aireonpayload

100%coverage

Will allowmore flexible routing

Oceanic trackinginfo is sent approx.every 15 min.

Aireongroundfacilty

Airtrafficcontrol

Only 10%global coverage

Each satelliteconnected tofour others

Aircraft sendsposition to satellitewhich relays itto ground facility