Satellite Communications Within the Aerospace Industry — Omar Kaddouha
The System of Satellite Communication and aircraft is real. It has made communication more efficient and safer for pilots. Apart from that, satellites have contributed heavily to making flights entertaining, safe, and smoother for passengers.
Dr Omar Kaddouha, who is an expert in the aviation industry with many years of experience in safety flights, is ensuring that travels are secure. With the help of satellite communication, this has been possible.
Passengers can be exposed to extreme risks such as acts of terrorism. Without the help of satellites, it would be hard to react to such an extreme situation for the message to be given to security. But thanks to satellite communication, it is now much easier to see in real-time something suspicious and then respond and act immediately to such situations.
Satellite Communication system
Satellite communication is the use of signals to transmit data, be it in mobile phones, weather tracking, or television programs. They are used for long-distance communication whereby data is transmitted in digital form on a very high frequency.
Without satellites, it will not be possible for people in the aerospace industry to communicate. Air Traffic Controllers and Operators are able to communicate with pilots due to these satellites. You will often hear it being referred to as Air to Ground communication.
What happens is, equipment from the ground transmits signals to the satellite then the satellite amplifies and changes the frequency. Finally, the signal is transmitted back to earth and received by the user such as an Air Traffic Manager for instance.
There are two types of satellites, and both are used in aerospace communication, depending on the principle of operations. One is a passive satellite mostly used from station to station. It has a metal cover surface and doesn’t generate power. Hence, its coverage is low because the signal only travels from one part of the earth to the next.
The other one is the active satellite, which has been set-up and connected to the satellite. For example, a connected aircraft transmits a message, it is amplified and then transmitted via the satellite set up for the transponder to receive the message. It is fast (high speed) but could experience some delays known as latency if the weather conditions are poor.
Advantages of Satellite communication in the Aerospace Industry
Apart from safety and improving passengers’ experience, satellite communication also has got other advantages to both the passengers and crew members.
Fast communication / High-Speed Communication
When it comes to the aerospace industry, fast communication is important. This is because of emergencies that might occur during the flight. According to Dr Omar Kaddouha, one of the important ways of dealing with risk is not only being aware but also responding immediately to the situation.
These are known as safety communications. Voice communications, Aircraft communications and Data Communications are crucial. Without these satellite-based communication systems, it will make it extremely hard for the aviation industry to function the way it currently is.
Cost-Effective
Satellite communication has helped aviation industries save a lot of money. Instead of setting up fibre cables that are too expensive and time-consuming, a satellite is a good solution to use in transmitting data in aerospace industries.
Satellite Telecommunication Activities In the UK
Satcom companies in the UK have grown to provide access to satellite infrastructure to many firms, including aerospace industries in the UK. Some of the companies in the UK holding the largest shares in satellite telecommunication include; Airbus Defence, Arqiva, Space Ltd, and SES SA. Apart from satellite services, they provide;
• Mobile satellite service
• Internet access
• Tracking and telemetry
Satcom Systems is essentially a satellite provider which many use to hold voice and data communications with one another.
Satellite Communication Issues in Aviation
As mentioned earlier, due to poor weather conditions, there might be a delay in the transmission of information. Other factors that can lead to error include;
Information Overload
A high amount of information is transmitted daily by users, and there is a chance of error to occur during communication. That is why passengers are always requested to switch off their cell phones when taking off and landing.
Misunderstanding
Errors also occur due to misunderstandings between the pilot and the person in the station. They can occur due to pauses in communication or sentence structure. Therefore, both persons need to learn several languages to communicate and understand each other properly. A lot of times, code names have been created so that all can understand each other with a couple of short phrases.
