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Hyper-Spectral Communications, Networking & ATM as Foundation for Safe and Efficient Future Flight

Transcending Aviation Operational Limitations with Diverse and Secure Multi-Band, Multi-Mode, and mmWave Wireless Links

Award Numbers: NASA ULI NNX17AJ94A

Project Summary:

NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) has recently solicited proposals and awarded funds for research and development to achieve and exceed the goals envisioned in the ARMD Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP). The Hyper-Spectral Communications and Networking for ATM (HSCNA) project is the only ULI program to address communications and networking (and to a degree, navigation and surveillance). The tasks the project team has developed to achieve the research objectives are as follows.

  • Task 1: development of multi-band networking Concept of Operations (ConOps) for multiple phases of flight and all communication link types and modes, e.g., air-ground (AG), air-air (AA), air-“anything” (air-X, or AX), etc.

  • Task 2: quantification of capacity/coverage/ performance of existing aviation (plus adjacent) frequency bands and technologies. Quantification of shortcomings and mid- to far-term (~2035) improvements, and assessment of growth potential.

  • Task 3: development of analysis/simulation software toolboxes and prototypes to assess adaptive link and network performance over multiple frequency bands with multiple communication modes in a hyper-spectral network.

  • Task 4: quantification of capacity/ efficiency gains of mmWave wireless airport subnetworks. Measurement and modeling of example channels and validation of prototype mmWave systems in example airport network operations.

  • Task 5: development of novel unauthorized UAS detection/localization techniques to detect and track any unauthorized UAS that enters any restricted zone.

  • Task 6: development of a realistic and comprehensive ATM simulation capability to assess gains of multi-band/multi-mode and mmWave networking in terms of data link performance per aircraft, supportable traffic density, multi-vehicle collaboration, and operational benefits.