Project Team
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The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt e.V., DLR) is Germany's national research center for aeronautics and space. Its extensive research and development work is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. As Germany's Space Agency, DLR has been given responsibility for the forward planning and the implementation of the German space program by the German federal government as well as for the international representation of German interests.
Approximately 5,100 people are employed in DLR's 31 institutes and facilities at eight locations in Germany. DLR also operates offices in Brussels, Paris, and Washington D.C.
The Institute of Communications and Navigation of DLR works in the areas of Satellite Communications, Optical Free-space Communications, Aeronautical Communications, Terrestrial Communications and Services as well as Navigation – with an emphasis on GNSS systems aspects, high precision applications, and safety-of-life applications. Currently the Institute employs approx. 110 staff members. It is located in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich and has a branch office in Neustrelitz north of Berlin.
In the research area aeronautical communications the institute contributes to the standardisation process of the ACP of ICAO (Aeronautical Communications Panel of the International Civil Aviation Organisation) for future digital air traffic control/management communications systems by investigating and enhancing proposed new standards. Moreover, concepts are developed for next generation aeronautical communications. The newly developed aeronautical communications concepts are validated by simulations and are implemented in demonstrator hardware for validation by field trials.
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TriaGnoSys GmbH was founded in March 2002 as spin-off from the German Aerospace Center (DLR). TriaGnoSys GmbH is independent and completely in private property. TriaGnoSys develops system concepts for communication networks, with focus on satellite and aeronautical communications. TriaGnoSys business is divided between three areas serving space, aerospace and terrestrial communications. In each of these areas TriaGnoSys offers industrial developments, especially for service integratores, communications protocols and the integration of multimedia services, as well as consultancy services. Interworking between satellite, aeronautical and terrestrial networks is a strength of TriaGnoSys.
TriaGnoSys has over 25 man years of experience in the space and aerospace business with more than 160 publications. TriaGnoSys senior engineers have for many years played major roles in groundbreaking international projects, mainly under EC and ESA research programmes and contracts.
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Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH (DFS) is a limited liability company, wholly owned by the German federal government. It has been in existence since 1 January 1993, succeeding the Bundesanstalt für Flugsicherung (BFS), its government agency predecessor, which had operated Germany's air navigation services since the early 1950s.
DFS is responsible for, and operates, all air navigation services in the Federal Republic of Germany. Those include ATC and other services in five Area Control Centres (ACCs/UACs) and approach/aerodrome control services at Germany's 17 international and 2 regional airports. In 2006, DFS was responsible for the handling nearly three million IFR flights over the territory of Germany.
Also included are technical, engineering and maintenance operations, an operational systems division with its own research and development section, administrative and ancillary services.
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The Institute for Computing Sciences and Systems Engineering is a branch of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Paris Lodron University in Salzburg. In the area of wireless, mobile, and satellite communications the institute focuses especially on the development of medium access control and routing algorithms, including mobile IP (data link / network layer) and the performance evaluation of the developed protocols by stochastic simulation and Markov chain analysis.
The institute has been involved in the satellite project BROADWAN and is currently intensively involved in the development and performance evaluation of the new aeronautical broadband communication system B-VHF, especially with regard to high-level system design, VHF band compatibility aspects, data link layer / upper layer protocol development, formal specification and B-VHF system performance evaluation. The institute is currently succeeding in a co-operation with Eurocontrol DIS/COM in the area of "Capacity and Performance Evaluation of the VHF Digital Link Mode 2 System" based on detailed European air-traffic simulation.
The simulation of communication protocols and realistic air traffic (e.g. of whole Europe with about 26.000 flights per day) is based on the tool NAVSIM of Mobile Communication Research and Development Forschungsgesellschaft GmbH, which has been developed based on input and requirement specifications provided by the institute. In addition, the institute has been and is involved in a number of externally funded projects (6th European Framework Research Programme, ESA European Space Agency and EU ACTS and IST).
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Frequentis GmbH with headquarters in Vienna, Austria, has been active for more than 60 years in the development and delivery of products for ATC and the broader aeronautical market. The activities cover self-financed R&D and marketing of systems and products for this specific market.
Frequentis core activities lay in aeronautical communication systems, in particular voice communication systems. The company expertise covers both technological and operational aspects of the whole tactical aeronautical communications chain (voice switch, airborne and ground radio technologies, supporting functions). Frequentis was the first company that introduced networked ground radio communication infrastructure (Austro Control 2002). Frequentis expects and is well prepared for more and more sophisticated requirements upon the ground infrastructure that will emerge as new types of VHF communications system get introduced (see GSM or UMTS ground infrastructure as well as NEXCOM).
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European leader for satellite systems and at the forefront of orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is owned by Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%) and forms with Telespazio the “Space Alliance”. Thales Alenia Space represents a worldwide standard for space development: from navigation to telecommunications, from meteorology to environmental monitoring, from defense to science and observation. Thales Alenia Space has 11 industrial sites in 4 European countries (France, Italy, Spain and Belgium) with over 7,200 employees worldwide.
Thales Alenia Space in the frame of its Navigation and Aeronautical Communication Business Unit has been deeply involved in aeronautical communications projects and development over the last ten years. This strong experience covers the field of institutional studies supported by ESA and CNES (SDLS slice 1 to 4, SDRS), by the European Commission (ASPASIA, SWIM-SUIT, MOWGLY), and industrial projects (MTSAT-1/1R/2) as prime contractor for aeronautical communication payload and ground earth stations.
Thales Alenia Space experts are also deeply involved in standardisation activities within ICAO (International Civile Aviation Organisation) in support to the French CAA.
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QinetiQ Ltd, part of the QinetiQ group, is one of Europe&rquo;s largest science and technology organisations. Formerly an agency of the UK Ministry of Defence, the company has a distinguished heritage as a leading provider of technology systems solutions and as a supplier of impartial and trusted advice and consultancy. This has led to pioneering research and development that includes the invention of liquid crystal displays, carbon fibre, flat panel speaker technology, infra-red sensors and microwave radar. QinetiQ&rquo;s move into the private sector facilitates access to its leading-edge innovation by customers from business sectors as diverse as defence, transport, space, energy, health, environment, IT and telecommunications. QinetiQ has considerable experience of participating in and successfully leading complex multi-national and multi-disciplinary projects.
QinetiQ&rquo;s Command and Intelligence Systems Division has extensive expertise in a wide range of command, control and communications systems. QinetiQ is playing a leading role in researching next generation Network Enabled Capability (NEC) for the UK Ministry of Defence, and many of the network enablement ideas and approaches are equally applicable and of benefit to complex civil domains such as ATM. QinetiQ&rquo;s ATC experts have a world-class reputation in ATM, surveillance and communications research. QinetiQ is also at the forefront of global security R&D.
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