Air traffic management (ATM) solutions provider Skykraft has received acceptance from the International Telecommunications Union of its spectrum filing for a constellation of 2976 satellites.
The move puts Skykraft one step closer to providing global space-enabled ADS-B and VHF communications services in 2026 as the constellation will offer the world’s first full-service space-enabled ATM service making aviation safer and more sustainable, efficient and resilient.
“Skykraft looks forward to using this filing to contribute to global goals to improve safety, sustainability, efficiency and capacity in aviation,” said Dr Michael Frater, CEO of Skykraft. “Skykraft’s space-enabled ATM services will be available for testing in 2025 and operational service in 2026. This service will bring significant benefits to oceanic and remote regions will improve performance in the world’s most congested airspace.”
Building on the ten prototype satellites launched and tested in 2023, Skykraft will launch further pre-production satellites in 2024. In 2025, the rollout of the operational constellation will begin with the launch of 50 more satellites, leading to an operational service in 2026. The number of satellites will continue to grow in following years.
Having worked with air navigation service providers for three years to ensure that space-enabled ATM services meet requirements, Skykraft trialled the use of space-enabled VHF during 2023 in a joint trial with Airservices Australia. The trial demonstrated the feasibility of direct communication between satellites and aircraft using their currently installed radios.
Voice and data radio communications in the VHF band are used for communications between pilots and air traffic controllers. VHF radios are standard aircraft equipment around the world and are vital in ensuring the safety of air travel. The use of satellites to complement ground-based radio systems will enable seamless global real-time communications between pilots and air traffic controllers for the first time.
Skykraft’s VHF communications service is complemented by a surveillance service that uses position broadcasts from aircraft to provide timely data on aircraft positions to air traffic controllers.
In addition to increasing safety by providing real-time communications between pilots and air traffic controllers and reducing environmental emissions by allowing more efficient aircraft routing, the use of space-enabled services increases the efficiency of the aviation industry by reducing fuel consumption and reducing flight delays (estimated at US$67.5 billion per year in the US, Europe and Australia) and increases the resilience of ATM systems by providing high levels of redundancy not previously seen in aviation.
