Over the years satellite technologies have become fundamental to several industry sectors. What’s your view on the use of these technologies in civil aviation, in particular in CNS/ATM, and what are the main advantages?

Progress in the connectivity and availability of terrestrial networks for both fixed and mobile users is directing the space world towards the creation of an similar model which, when applied to the important features of satellite services, will make space a key element in the evolutionary scenario of integrated communication and other infrastructures. Within this framework is the growing importance of satellite service proposals in various fields of application, both 'vertical' – which employ multi-application technologies – and 'horizontal' – which rely on integrated connectivity. Civil aviation, and in particular the CNS/ATM area, is one of the sectors that could take advantage of satellite technology both in Europe and in other parts of the world. The benefits concern both global coverage and the improvement of capacity and reliability. However, the most interesting aspect is the utilisation of an integrated terrestrial-satellite infrastructure that would increase the stability and the resilience of the system's response in the event of failures or accidents, thus basically improving service availability. The integrated environment is precisely where the satellite element will play a major role in effectively serving increasingly sophisticated, complex and strategic applications.

One of the issues related to the ongoing pandemic crisis is the increased resilience of ATM services brought in by technology, in particular in a context where the staff at control centres should always be able to interact with cabin crews. What is the role of satellite communications, and how can they contribute?

In an infrastructure that must guarantee connectivity in all circumstances, the satellite element can create and guarantee a complete, reliable, superfluous environment for connectivity itself. The pandemic crisis has brought to light the importance of being connected as to what distinguishes our ability or inability to fulfil our tasks and guarantee that the quality of our essential daily activities is satisfactory. The rediscovery (or discovery, to some of us) of technology as a firm ally of mankind has undoubtedly affected all fields of application, including civil aviation in general and ATM in particular. In this context, data-link service systems like IRIS may greatly contribute to the integrated-connected vision. It is worth pointing out that in integrated infrastructures, connectivity is enhanced not only by land systems and satellite systems: aircrafts are also essential as they play the double role of users and active elements in the development of an effective and comprehensive network. The considerable drop in air traffic during the pandemic period might be used to boost the technological transition and the development of the full systemic integration needed to ensure pervasive connectivity. Perhaps this is the way to make the most of the standstill the pandemic has imposed on the world of civil aviation!

Regarding communication, how do you see the evolution of SatCOMs as an aid to Voice and DataLink applications?

Integrated connectivity will be increasingly global, multi-element (from space to underwater environments), relying on widespread software systems as far as both the network and storage and access to data are concerned; also, it will strongly lean on artificial intelligence and the IoT (Internet of Things). Integrated infrastructures are conceived to transfer several kinds of content apt to support the whole range of vertical applications that are based on them. The development of satellite components to ensure both access to the Internet and the global tracking through the so-called mega-constellations is one of the strategies to achieve the pervasiveness of the space component. The aviation sector will be able to take advantage of this evolution, which involves communication as well as positioning and tracking. With reference to communication in particular, the above-mentioned IRIS system represents a feasible integration scheme for data-link contexts.

What satellite-communication-related research and innovation issues will be in store for us in the provision of services in the coming years, and when will high-performance data services be available to support ATM services that are increasingly responsive to changes in traffic demand?

A key issue in the evolution of integrated connectivity will be how to preserve and maintain valid sustainability of the space environment, which already strongly relies on the widespread use of automation/virtualization in satellite systems as well. Space sustainability could also be fostered through targeted network design effectively deploying what is already available and operational in space and what will be available in the future (backward and forward compatibility of systems, respectively). Space connectivity thus entails many challenges that will characterise its more or less harmonious evolution and will influence the relationship with the user. Similarly, the ATM sector is also undergoing a transformation toward complete digitisation, widespread employment both of automation and virtualization, and the use of a potentially increasing number of hyper-connected, automatized aircrafts along with more conventional vehicles. Where these two evolutionary scenarios meet is of utmost interest and the ATM sector will not only be an optimal user of the future integrated and sustainable network, but also a key element in the future connectivity scenario.