Aeronautical Ku-band Satellite Communication

Single Focus Workshop25 March 2010

Peter Lemme

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 2

KU Band

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 3

Ku-band Technical Working Group

• Formed in Dec 2007• ARINC 791

– Part 1: Provisions (form and fit)

March 2011– Part 2: Protocols (function)

March 2012

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 4

Working Group Participants• Airlines

– Delta, Lufthansa, KLM• Airbus and Boeing• Antenna, Radome, KRFU, KANDU

– TECOM, Cobham, AeroSat, EMS, Viasat, ThinKom, QEST, Starling

• Components– EMS, Rockwell Collins, ITS Electronics, Gore, COMDEV,

Tyco, Saint-Gobain, Souriau • Service Provider (ModMan, Space Segment, Internet Gateway, Billing,

Operations)– Panasonic, Row 44

• Others– DDEi, AEEC, Aircell

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 5

Ku-band Satellite

• Geo-Stationary Orbit (GSO)• Multiple transponders for full or partial lease

– Each transponder is 36-72 MHz wide

• Single transponder can cover a whole continent• Most coverage over populated regions• Designed for 0.8 to 1.2 meter fixed terminal• Terminal transmit 13.75 to 14.50 GHz• Terminal receive 10.7 to 12.75 GHz

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 6

Interference

• Transmission power spectral density under strict limits from two degrees of the target satellite

• Antenna transmit beamwidth most critical factor for compliance• Aero antennas may not comply in some conditions

Spread SpectrumReduce EIRP

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 7

Transmit Limitations

• GSO Beamwidth– Skew angle

• EIRP

• Achieved beam steering accuracy

• Spreading factors and modulations

• Other interference considerations– Radio Astronomy – Non-GSO operators

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 8

Data Link Efficiency

• Spectral Efficiency (bps per Hz)– Modulation, Coding, Spreading– As high as 1.0 under favorable scenarios– Typical efficiency perhaps 0.3– Less then 0.1 under demanding scenarios

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 9

Data Rates

• Received at the airplane– Forward Channel– Single transponder 10 to 50 Mbps (shared)– May receive multiple transponders for nearly

limitless bandwidth

• Transmitted from the airplane– Return Channel– Single Channel– Data rates typically 64 kbps to 1 Mbps

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 10

Weight-ON-WheelsOperational Ground Transmit ENABLE

Maintenance Ground Transmit ENABLE

System FAILEDSystem NOT AVAILABLE

Passenger Services DISABLE

Discrete Signal Ground

IRS AFDX(PROVISION)

Aircraft skin

376x280x75 mmStand-Alone or 376x280x120 mmForced Air Cooled

KRFU

KANDU376 x 280 x 120 mmStand-Alone Cooled

Modem

Radome

Control

Private Ethernet

NT

RF

RF

IF

ModMan

Ku Managerwith

Ethernet Switch

ARINC 6004MCU

Forced Air Cooled

IF

DBS RHCP/V OUT

DBS LHCP/H OUT

/2

Public Ethernet Interfaces (FIVE PLUS ONE RESERVED)Private Ethernet Interface (IFE including aircraft state)

/4

/2

/2

/2

/56

IRS A429

/2

Control

Tx Control(hardware interlock)

/213-4

/2

/2

13-4Power

21-35

Tx Mute

17-8

17-8

1

AEEC Project Paper 791 Proposed System Architecture

/4

N

T2

T4

T3

T1

T5

18 +/- 1.0 dB @1450 MHz, max 40 dB @ 6 GHz

RF Interface (Antenna - KRFU) Provided with the antenna and KRFU May include flexible waveguide length TBD Maximum 100 cm coaxial cable lengthConnectors are N no key,TNC keyed

4 Nov 2009 Rev. G1

P. Lemme

ANTENNA

15-19Aircraft

/20IF interface may connect directly to antenna

Coax insertion loss matched +/- 0.1 dB @1450 MHz

Optional DBS interface may connect directly to antenna

21-8

4

Ethernet

/4

/4

KANDU Interface (Antenna - KRFU) Maximum 10 meter wire length

Power

Pow

er

Private Ethernet Interface (Data Loader)

Private Ethernet Interface (RESERVED - AOC)

Private Ethernet Interface (RESERVED)

/4

DISABLE

ENABLE

19-35

/4/4

/4/4

/24

115 VAC

Control

Doors-Open (if needed for cell modem power control)

Power ON

Aircraft State A429

/2

Manufacturer Specific

/4

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 11

Ku-band Steerable-Array Antenna

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 12

Aircraft Antenna Installation

• Two frame spacings

• Seven fittings

• 32” to 37” swept volume

• 10” to 12” radome height

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 13

Regulatory

• Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Service (AMSS)– ITU S.728-1 (psd)– ETSI EN 301 428 V1.3.1 (psd)– FCC 25.209 (gain), 25.222 (psd)

• Availability is not assured– Secondary Allocation

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 14

Skew Angle• Optimum situation

small azimuth beamwidth across GSO

• Troublesome situationwide elevation beamwidth

across GSO

Roll angle

Tropic latitudes

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 15

Flat Plate 0.16 m x 0.90 m Versus Circular 0.45 m diameter

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 16

Other Issues and Concerns

• Bird strike

• Environmental Qualification

• Aircraft blockages

• Beam steering

Single Focus Workshop 25 March 2010 Ku-band Satellite Communication Peter Lemme 17

Summary• ARINC 791 will lead to common provisions

and interchangeable components– Viable technology

• Ku band forward channel capacity is unmatched

• Ku band return channel data rate is competitive with any other radio system

• Coverage is subject to market demand