Faster Flights Are Coming With New Satellite Tracking Technology
Aireon adds another European investor to its plans for a commercial service that will monitor aircraft from orbit.
A Boeing Co. 747 aircraft operated by British Airways, at London Heathrow airport.
Photographer: Simon Dawson/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The company that provides the U.K.’s air-traffic control service is taking a 10 percent stake in Aireon LLC, a U.S. firm that’s building a satellite-based tracking system and will offer commercial services to controllers starting next year.
Aireon plans to use a constellation of 66 Iridium Communications Inc. Next satellites in low Earth orbit to track aircraft. Iridium has 50 in orbit already, 47 of which are operational. Each carries equipment to offer aircraft position data to ground controllers. Iridium plans to launch five additional satellites on May 22 from California, completing its full network later this year.