Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - 64

SPINOFF

Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring
successfully commercialized NASA technology. This
commercialization has contributed to the development
of products and services in the fields of health and
medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety,
computer technology, and environmental resources.

NASA Brings Airport Communications into the Digital Age
Pilots and air traffic controllers no longer will rely solely on voice communications.

F

or decades, airport operana type; placement depends on
tions have relied mainly on
the airport configuration and
voice communications over unsignal coverage needed around
secured radio frequencies, with
the surface.
landline phone calls as the only
A proxy client server executes
secure backup option. Now, the
security protocols and enables
Aeronautical Mobile Aircraft
user authentication to verify the
Communication System (Aerosender and receiver, blocking
MACS) will allow Federal Aviaoutside intrusions. The Access
tion Administration (FAA) staff
Service Network gateway enables
in control towers to send safetyconnectivity throughout the netcritical information digitally and
work. This complete system cussecurely, leading to shorter wait
tomized by Telrad is all that's
times on the tarmac.
needed to set up an AeroMACSAeroMACS will phase out the
based wireless network. Telrad
Air traffic control managers have communicated with airline pilots
use of voice communication as verbally for decades but with AeroMACS, messages can quickly be has also created Star Suite, a
the primary method of informa- sent digitally. (NASA)
software network management
tion sharing for airport ground
program that can support any
operations. The new, encrypted, highfication, an independent validation of
application an airport might require.
speed digital data networks will streamline
performance from an industry observer.
AeroMACS is cheaper to operate and
communications among ground crews
In this family of hardware, any sensors
maintain than existing voice-based infraand air traffic controllers. Messages sent
- called subscriber stations - will colstructure but it will take time to transito a pilot after the plane is on the ground
lect, transmit, and receive data. Telrad
tion all airports to the new technology.
can include diagrams and GPS-style maps
builds the base station that performs the
Each aviation authority may choose to
as well as text instructions for runway navsame function as in a cellular network,
implement it in smaller stages. So far,
igation, gate assignment details, and surrouting transmissions with GPS providing
some U.S. airports are using the system
face navigation directions.
timing for the network. The company
to collect information from surveillance
Aviation authorities from more than
also assists with identifying the best antensensors, which will help improve aircraft
150 countries chose and agreed to adopt
tracking on runways and taxiways.
the WiMAX standard. Formally adopted
In 2016, for the first time, NASA sucin 2007, WiMAX uses cellular network
cessfully transmitted aviation data,
infrastructure that's customizable for the
including route options and weather
new frequency - the spectrum of 5091 to
information, to a taxiing airplane over a
5150 megahertz is reserved for safety-critwireless communication system. Sucical aviation communications only.
cessfully eliminating the risk of signal
NASA engineers have been part of this
interference while maintaining throughprocess from the start. The agency's
put capacity was what made this accomGlenn Research Center in Cleveland took
plishment so significant. NASA engithe lead on AeroMACS testing. The cenneers also proved that mobile assets such
ter had worked on these issues previously
as emergency vehicles and laptop comand had extensive expertise, which made
puters could be included in the wireless
it a natural partner for the FAA.
network.
To run the first aviation tests, NASA
To date, more than 50 airports in
worked with the Broadband Wireless
about 15 different countries are using
Access division of Alvarion Technologies
AeroMACS to replace voice with data
Ltd. to modify existing WiMAX hardtransmission. It's estimated that it will
ware. Acquired by Telrad Networks, the
take 20 years to transition more than
The Telrad BreezeCOMPACT 1000 4G broadcompany was able to leverage its work
40,000 airports worldwide.
band base station - a modem and radio all in
with the agency to become one of the first
Visit https://spinoff.nasa.gov/AeroMACSone - is used to set up an AeroMACS-based
to receive AeroMACS Wave 1 Certiairport-comms.
wireless network. (Telrad Networks)
64

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Tech Briefs, March 2021


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Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021

Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - Intro
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - Cov4
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - Cov2
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - 1
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Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - Cov3
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - Cov4
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - PIT-Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - PIT-Cov2
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - PIT-1
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Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - PIT-40
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - PIT-Cov3
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - PIT-Cov4
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-Cov2
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-1
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-2
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-3
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-4
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Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-19
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-20
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-21
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-22
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-23
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-24
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-Cov3
Tech Briefs Magazine - March 2021 - ST-Cov4
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