Global Air Traffic Awareness and Optimization through Space Based Surveillance (GATOSS)

The overall idea of the project is to research and develop methods for using small satellites to cover the holes in the existing radar coverage. Planes are equipped with an automatic radio transmitter that emits signals such as identification, position etc. This signal is picked up by ground stations and is used for traffic management and for calculating the fees that aircrafts have to pay to fly over a given airspace. When an aircraft crosses the oceans, the signal is not received by the ground stations and thus the aircraft is not covered by radar. Aircrafts are therefore required to maintain a minimum distance of 80 nautical miles, which means that not all aircraft fly the fastest and most fuel-efficient routes. To improve this situation, the project will demonstrate that the aircraft's position can be collected using small satellites, and that this information can be used for aviation management. It is expected that the demonstration mission will be launch in third quarter of 2011. The project is spearheaded by GomSpaceApS that commercializes space technology with particular focus on small satellites. The other participants are DSE Airport Solutions that supplies IT systems for the management of airspace, and Aalborg University who contributes with its expertise in advanced radio technology.