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Bethesda MD (SPX) Apr 17, 2006 Iridium Satellite, KDDI Network and Solutions and Pioneer Navicom jointly announce the completion of successful air trials and initial deployment of an automatic helicopter tracking system by the Japanese Fire and Disaster Management Agency. The system, developed by Pioneer Navicom, automatically transmits GPS position coordinates to ground stations and uploads destination point, routes and text messages to the aircraft through the Iridium satellite network. It enables ground controllers to monitor the location and movement of the aircraft in real-time across a moving map display, with a similar picture also available to the pilot. "In many ways, Iridium is the ideal solution for this application because of its ubiquitous global coverage without blind spots, even when flying at low altitudes among mountainous terrain or over open water," said Hiroaki Tamanaka, director of avionics sales and marketing at Pioneer Navicom. "The low-profile, low-drag Iridium antenna is much smaller and lighter than other satellite communication systems." The Pioneer Navicom auto-tracking system includes an AirCell ST3100 Iridium satellite terminal integrated with an Airmap AMS 3000S moving map display. In addition to automatic flight following and messaging, the system can also provide two-way voice communication between air and ground. The Iridium-based system was installed on a new AS365N3 helicopter and rolled out late last year. During the initial, two-hour ferry flight between Osaka and Tokyo, it transmitted flight following data every four seconds through an Iridium circuit-switched data channel. Iridium service is provided in Japan through KNSL, which received authorization from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to offer Iridium mobile phone and data products and services in June 2005. "Iridium's constellation of low-earth orbiting satellites provides the only aircraft tracking and monitoring solution that is robust, reliable, cost-effective and that offers global coverage," said Greg Ewert, Iridium executive vice president. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Iridium KDDI Pioneer Navicom Space Technology News - Applications and Research
JAXA Experiments With Large-Scale Mesh Satellite Antenna
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Apr 17, 2006JAXA scientists said they recently tested an experimental metal mesh system that could allow satellites to deploy very large antennas using mini-satellites to hold the structures' edges and maintain their shape, rather than relying on extendible framing devices. |
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