Robert J. Kerczewski

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Richard Haendel

Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Satellite Delivery of Aviation Weather Data

NASA/TM—2001-210886

May 2001

AIAA–2001–057
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NASA/TM—2001-210886

May 2001

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Prepared for the

19th International Communications Satellite Systems Conference

sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Toulouse, France, April 17–20, 2001

AIAA–2001–057

Robert J. Kerczewski

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Richard Haendel

Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Satellite Delivery of Aviation Weather Data
Available from

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7121 Standard Drive

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NASA/TM—2001-210886 1 

SATELLITE DELIVERY OF AVIATION WEATHER DATA 

Robert J. Kerczewski 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Glenn Research Center 

Cleveland, Ohio 44135 

Richard Haendel 

Rockwell Collins 

Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52498 

ABSTRACT 

With aviation traffic continuing to increase worldwide, reducing the aviation accident rate and 

aviation schedule delays is of critical importance. In the United States, the National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration (NASA) has established the Aviation Safety Program and the Aviation System 

Capacity program to develop and test new technologies to increase aviation safety and system 

capacity. Weather is a significant contributor to aviation accidents and schedule delays. The timely 

dissemination of weather information to decision makers in the aviation system, particularly to pilots, 

is essential in reducing system delays and weather related aviation accidents. The NASA Glenn 

Research Center is investigating improved methods of weather information dissemination through 

satellite broadcasting directly to aircraft. This paper describes an on-going cooperative research 

program with NASA, Rockwell Collins, WorldSpace, Jeppesen and American Airlines to evaluate the 

use of satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) for low cost broadcast of aviation weather 

information, called Satellite Weather Information Service (SWIS). The description and results of the 

completed SWIS Phase I are presented, and the description of the on-going SWIS Phase II is given. 

INTRODUCTION 

Weather has been identified as a causal factor in 30% of all aviation accidents, and is responsible for 

up to 65% of domestic US airline schedule delays, resulting in significant loss of life and operating 

cost increases of $5 billion annually [1]. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA) has established research programs in aviation safety and aviation system capacity which have 

determined that improved collection and dissemination of accurate, up-to-date weather information 

would have a significant impact in reducing aviation accidents and weather-related delays. 

The most significant inadequacy in the current aviation system is the lack of timely and accurate 

weather information delivered to pilots in the flight decks of operating aircraft. Current methods of 

transmitting data to the aircraft flight deck, primarily ground-based VHF transmission over 25kHz 

channels, suffer from low bandwidth, frequency channel congestion, and security issues, as well as 

significant geographical coverage gaps. The collection of weather information from sensors, 

especially airborne sensors, to be used in developing better weather models, forecasts, and “nowcasts” 

is an important secondary issue. In both cases, an inexpensive broadcast solution which can address 

all classes of aircraft – transport, regional, business, cargo, and general aviation – is desired. The 

delivery of weather information is not considered “safety-of-flight” critical information, hence 

mandating the equipage of aircraft with advanced weather information reception equipment is 

unlikely to occur. Therefore, an economically attractive solution must exist to motivate aircraft 

owners to equip and achieve the desired result of producing an industry-wide reduction in the 

weather-related accident rate. The solution must not only be low cost to enable privately owned 

general aviation aircraft to afford to equip. It must also demonstrate the ability to reduce operating 

costs for the transport aviation segment to justify the higher equipage costs for the large passengerbearing aircraft. 
NASA/TM—2001-210886 2 

NASA’s Glenn Research Center is performing research in the area of weather data dissemination as 

part of NASA’s Aviation Safety Program Weather Accident Prevention (WxAP) Project. A number 

of research efforts are underway, including assessment of ground-based and satellite communications 

links, development of weather information standards and protocols, future communications 

architectures for weather data dissemination, and development of improved low cost technologies. 

Previous NASA efforts under the WxAP’s Aviation Weather Information (AWIN) Element at 

NASA’s Langley Research Center have helped to develop a VHF broadcast solution through 

cooperative research agreements with ARNAV and Honeywell. This solution is now being deployed 

through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Flight Information Services (FIS) policy. Two 

additional cooperative research agreements, with Honeywell and Boeing, are evaluating cockpit 

weather data delivery systems using a UHF/VHF telephone link and the COMSAT Aero-H 

International Maritime Satellite, respectively [1]. 

The emergence of satellite digital audio radio services (SDARS) satellites broadcasting over 100 

channels of digital audio programming and other services presents a significant opportunity to 

develop a very low cost aviation weather solution. In particular, the SDARS enables reception of up 

to 128 kbps digital channel using very small passive patch antennas easily mountable on aircraft. In 

addition, a mass consumer market in SDARS receivers can be exploited to provide very inexpensive 

receiving equipment. NASA has entered into a cooperative agreement with Rockwell Collins, 

WorldSpace, Jeppesen and American Airlines to develop and evaluate an experimental SDARS-based 

aviation weather broadcast system, called Satellite Weather Information Service (SWIS). 

Phase I of the SWIS demonstration took place in South Africa in September of 1999. In this 

feasibility demonstration, a typical set of weather images was broadcast from WorldSpace’s AfriStar 

Satellite to a general aviation aircraft. The demonstration showed the feasibility of receiving satellite 

broadcast weather information in a flying aircraft using a 64 kbps channel. 

Phase II of the SWIS demonstration, now under development, will use the WorldSpace AsiaStar 

Satellite to broadcast real aviation weather products to two commercial transport aircraft, American 

Airlines Boeing 777’s flying revenue service routes between Chicago and Hong Kong and Chicago 

and Tokyo/Narita. The SWIS Phase II is scheduled to begin flight demonstrations in April 2001. 

This paper will provide background on the aviation weather application requirements, the types of 

aviation weather products being considered for satellite delivery and their expected benefits, and 

potential system architectures to deliver weather products to the flight deck by satellite. The technical 

details of the satellite broadcast link, and a technical description of the SWIS subsystems will be 

presented. The results of the SWIS Phase I tests in South Africa and the plans for SWIS Phase II 

flight tests over the North Pacific Region will be described. 

AVIATION WEATHER REQUIREMENTS 

The National Aviation Weather Program Council Joint Action Group for Aviation Weather has issued 

a call for national aviation weather initiatives in the United States [2]. This call identified a number 

of potential high impact research initiatives, including improved communication links for Flight 

Information Services (FIS, which includes weather information), improved multi-color cockpit 

displays for FIS, improved weather forecasting, and expanded use of automated pilot reports to 

provide better current aviation weather information for immediate use and generation of forecasts. 

The NASA Weather Accident Prevention Project is addressing a number of these issues. 

For all aviation users, improved weather information for strategic flight planning and routing 

decisions and for real-time en route tactical decision-making is desired. The most important 

atmospheric hazards are turbulence, wind shear, icing conditions, low visibility and ceilings, wake 

vortices convection, and volcanic ash. The development of more accurate aviation weather forecasts 
NASA/TM—2001-210886 3 

and nowcasts for all of these hazards is an on-going research topic. The dissemination of current and 

future weather products resulting from this research will require low cost and easily accessible 

communications media. While Phase I and II of NASA’s SWIS project, described in detail below, 

both emphasize the performance of the data delivery system and it’s capabilities in delivering a 

sufficient volume of weather data with sufficient reliability, Phase II has a particular emphasis on the 

transport aviation sector and trans-Pacific flights. 

New routes are continuing to develop between the USA and the Pacific Rim, especially to Japan and 

China. Not too long ago, these flights were routed from the West Coast via stops at Anchorage or 

Honolulu, so flight times enroute were relatively short, < 8 hours. Now non-stop service is provided 

over such routes as Dallas and New York to Narita, Japan; Detroit to Beijing, China; and Chicago to 

Hong Kong. Flight legs typically exceed 6000 N miles and some, such as Hong Kong to New York 

are more than 7500 N. miles using B777 and B747-400 aircraft. These flight legs are up to 15 hours in 

length. Weather can change significantly during this extended period. 

There is currently no means of providing updated graphical weather information to airborne aircraft 

over these longer routes. To date, flight crews have not been able to obtain high quality updated 

weather while enroute. Frequently, significant unanticipated weather buildups are detected using onboard radar. These flights must typically reroute and travel parallel to the severe weather and probe 

for an opening in the weather buildups. On occasions, attempting to pierce the weather front, 

turbulence is encountered and sometimes injuries occur. 

Rerouting delays caused by nearby significant weather causes added fuel burn and sometimes 

cancelled flights, resulting in an economic impact to the air carriers. Flight crews would prefer to 

know about significant weather 500-1000 N. miles in advance if possible, so they can divert earlier, 

maintain their flight schedules and minimize additional fuel burn as well as giving their passengers a 

smoother ride. Flight crews are insisting on better and more frequently updated graphical weather 

information while enroute. Especially in the Western Pacific and Southern Caribbean Sea, severe 

weather can develop within just a few hours. 

ARCHITECTURES FOR AVIATION WEATHER DATA DISEMMINATION 

NASA is investigating optimal communications system architectures for future delivery of aviation 

weather information. An architecture for aviation weather delivery that has been proposed consists 

of a hybrid satellite/terrestrial approach [3]. A satellite broadcast over large geographical regions 

would provide continental scale weather information, such as satellite imagery, NEXRAD radar 

composite images, winds, etc. Terrestrial-based broadcasts would deliver local weather, such as 

airport conditions – ceiling and visibility - local radar, wind shear alerts, etc. The hybrid architecture 

would enable a relatively low cost, receive-only system providing much greater weather information 

to the flight deck than is currently available. This architecture is described in Figure 1. 

This type of architecture provides a low cost wide area broadcast of major weather data affordable to 

most users. The use of satellites for high quality graphical weather data dissemination on a national 

or continental scale also gives nearly complete geographic coverage, including oceanic and remote 

regions. The terrestrial based broadcasts provide local or regional coverage of high quality weather 

information crucial for departure and arrival of aircraft. Although such a service would be potentially 

more costly than a satellite broadcast service, it would also be of most use in high-density terminal 

areas where transport aircraft are involved. 

OVERVIEW OF THE SWIS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT 

The SWIS Demonstration Project is intended to develop and evaluate a prototype satellite weather 

data delivery system based on SDARS satellite broadcast technology. The key advantage of SDARS 

for aviation weather data dissemination is the potential extremely low cost of the service compared to 

alternatives currently available or in development. Because the SDARS radio service is intended for a 
NASA/TM—2001-210886 4 

GroundBased

Pilot PC

SATCOM

Comm

I/F

SAT

COM

RCVR

VDL

RCVR MFDS OASIS

• NOTAM

FIS

PROC

WARP

NAS / SUA

STATUS

NEXRAD NWS Wx

Vendor(s) ADAS

Portable

Storage

Media

Wx

Sensor(s)

AAIS

Comm

Network

Comm

Network

ATIS CSP

NWIS INTEGRATED

NETWORK

VDL

Comm

Network

A

C

N

E

T

W

O

R

K

UAT

UAT Comm

Network UAT

XCVR

Figure 1 – A possible architecture for national and global delivery of aeronautical flight information 

services, which includes weather data.

market of perhaps hundreds of millions of users worldwide, the potential for low cost equipment due 

to economies of mass production is significant. The SDARS satellites broadcast a sufficiently strong 

signal so that very small passive microstrip patch antennas can be employed. These antennas are 

approximately 10 cm in diameter and present a flat profile. Hence they are low cost and easily 

installed on aircraft. 

The first phase of the SWIS project was an initial feasibility demonstration to show that graphical 

weather data broadcast by an SDARS satellite can be reliably received by an airborne receiver. The 

second phase of SWIS will demonstrate the SWIS system on a transport class aircraft in revenue 

service, with real, up-to-date weather information being supplied to the flight crew for operational 

use. Further Phases of SWIS are being considered for future implementation. A demonstration over 

the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico for flights between North and South America is being 

evaluated. Also, a demonstration over North America to evaluate the utility of a satellite-based 

aviation weather broadcast system for use by general aviation aircraft. 

SWIS PHASE I 

The primary goal of the SWIS Phase 1 testing was to determine the feasibility of using S-DARS 

capabilities to transmit complex graphical weather data to an aircraft in flight. Although the 

capability has been shown on-ground using automobile-mounted equipment, motion characteristics of 

in-flight maneuvers have the potential to block reception from the satellite to the low-cost patch 

antenna and, traditionally, a more expensive, beam-steered antenna solution has been required for 

airborne information transfer. The cost of the beam-steered antenna alone has rendered the equipment 

inaccessible to a large segment of the aviation community. A low-cost alternative for providing 

weather information would go far in addressing the current information access inequity. 

The proof-of-concept tests verified the feasibility of receiving weather data from an S-DARS satellite 

using a low-cost, aircraft-mounted non-steered antenna. The test procedures examined signal 

Ground Systems Air/Ground Comm Aircraft
NASA/TM—2001-210886 5 

reception during aircraft turn and bank maneuvers during reception of data files containing weather 

information. The WorldSpace AfriStar satellite, being the first and only SDARS satellite in operation 

at the time of these tests, was used for SWIS Phase I [4]. 

The equipment used for this test includes a Rockwell Collins designed and built antenna and LNA 

components. Specifically, the following components were implemented in the test set. 

a) Rockwell Collins flat patch antenna using a mini-Circuits LNA with 1.2db NF and 25db of gain. 

b) A WorldSpace Digital Satellite Receiver KH-WS1 (manufactured by Hitachi) and a WorldSpace 

Smart PC adapter (SPCA) with firmware ver1.2 were used. This unit receives and converts the 

data output of the WorldSpace (Hitachi) receiver to RS232 format. 

c) GPS receiver (with NEMA 0183 output) for position and track data. 

d) Laptop Computer (with Windows 95) with software. 

e) WorldSpace SPCA Driver/Data Capture software. This program communicates with the Smart 

PC adapter via a RS232 serial port on the laptop PC and assembles the individual data packets 

into a complete file. 

f) WorldSpace UnZIPer/Datacast processing software. The graphical data file uplinked to the 

aircraft was encapsulated with a CRC32 error detecting code. 

g) Test Data and GPS logging software. 

The WorldSpace AfriStar satellite is controlled from a Regional Operations Control Centers (ROCC) 

located in Johannesburg, South Africa. This AfriStar coverage is shown in Figure 2. The SWIS 

Phase I tests used the Southern beam. 

The flight tests were performed using a Cessna 172 aircraft. The patch antenna was mounted as 

shown in Figure 3. All flight tests started and ended at Hanger 24 at the Rand Airport in 

Johannesburg, South Africa. The AfriStar satellite is located at 21° East longitude. Flight Testing 

was conducted from September 18-24, 1999 in a 50nm radius of the airport. A typical flight path is 

shown in Figure 4. Typical weather graphics were broadcast at 64kbits/second by the AfriStar 

satellite, received and viewed on the laptop computer. These flight tests produced excellent results. 

Continuous error free data reception was received during normal aircraft maneuvers performed during 

takeoff, cruise and landing operations. In addition, continuous data reception was observed for bank 

angles up to and including 45 degrees. In general, 100% reception of the data was received except 

when the aircraft bank exceeded 45 degrees away from the satellite. 

Figure 2 – AfriStar coverage. Figure 3 - SWIS Patch Antenna Mounted to Cessna 172. 
NASA/TM—2001-210886 6 

The SWIS Phase I tests demonstrated the feasibility of transmitting graphical weather data through an 

SDARS satellite to an operating aircraft. The results indicated the next Phase for SWIS, 

demonstration and evaluation in an air transport environment. 

SWIS PHASE II 

The primary goal of SWIS Phase II is to build upon the feasibility demonstrated in Phase I by 

developing, demonstrating and evaluating a prototype system capable of delivering real, up-to-date 

weather information to a transport class aircraft operating revenue service flights. American Airlines 

is installing the equipment and providing two B777 aircraft operating on routes to the Pacific Rim. 

Jeppesen has developed new graphics for the North 

Pacific routes and is gathering, interpreting and 

providing timely weather data and an application 

program. WorldSpace Corporation is providing the 

Satellite service, Ground Earth Station support and 

software and Rockwell-Collins is providing the satellite 

receiver, antenna and other on-board electronics, 

economic benefit and safety analyses. The NASA 

Langley Research Center is focusing on the human 

factors issues and pilot interaction with the weather 

graphics application. NASA Glenn will evaluate the 

communications link performance. 

Weather satellites are strategically located throughout the 

world, many in geostationary orbits and some that circle 

the earth in polar orbits. Data from these satellites using 

a variety of sensors includes infrared imagery, pinpoint 

satellite radar (cloud height) and other images are 

available frequently. Some images are updated as 

frequently as every 30 minutes. SWIS Phase II will 

utilize subsets of the available satellite imagery, make 

sense of the graphical information and have meteorologists interpret and simplify this vast amount of 

data to provide meaningful information to pilots in a timely and easily interpreted way. 

As in Phase I, the antenna is a simple patch antenna, low cost, low profile, easy to install, very high 

reliability. It includes a radome qualified for high altitude, high-speed flight. The broadcast data rate 

is 64 kbits/second. Data rate can be changed dynamically between 16 kbits/second and 128 kbits per 

second with no system hardware impact. WorldSpace satellites operate in the 1460-1492 MHz band 

0 dB 1 dB 2 dB 3 dB

Figure 4 - Typical flight path for SWIS Phase I tests.

Figure 5 – AsiaStar coverage. 
NASA/TM—2001-210886 7 

similar to Inmarsat (1559 MHz), but have a much higher power level than Inmarsat, providing a very 

robust data link without beam steered antennas. The system is designed to use a broadcast protocol, 

providing weather information to all aircraft simultaneously, as compared to Inmarsat which is a twoway request-reply protocol. This results in a much lower cost system to use. 

Figure 6 describes the SWIS Phase II system. The weather data developed by Jeppesen is transmitted 

via Internet file transfer to the WorldSpace AsiaStar ground station in Melbourne, Australia. The data 

is transmitted via an X-Band uplink to AsiaStar and broadcast over the northeast beam at L-band. 

Figure 7 shows deployment of equipment on the aircraft. The patch antenna and receiver send the 

received weather graphics data to a file server. The data is then distributed to the pilot laptops for 

display in the cockpit through an on-board wireless LAN. 

Figure 6 – SWIS Phase II system description 

File server

Pilots 

Laptops

Asiastar 

Satellite

Melbourne GES

Patch Antenna Wireless LAN

Figure 7 – SWIS Phase II on-board system configuration. 

Jeppsen Data

Melbourne

Ground Station

WorldSpace 

Asiastar Satellite

L-Band

Downlink X-Band

Uplink

WorldSpace

Melbourne, Australia 

Via FTP:
NASA/TM—2001-210886 8 

Typical weather graphics to be provided in SWIS Phase II include winds aloft at 7 altitudes, every 4 

hours, infrared imagery every 60 minutes, visible imagery every 60 minutes, Hi-level SIGMETs 

(significant meteorological warnings), including volcanic ash, as they are detected, surface winds and 

weather fronts every 1 or 4 hours. Figure 8 shows examples of typical graphical weather products 

that will be transmitted to the operational aircraft in SWIS Phase II. 

Following installation of the on-board equipment in the early spring of 2001, the SWIS Phase II 

demonstration is scheduled to run from April through September of 2001. Flight crews operating the 

equipped aircraft on flights from Chicago to Asia will obtain per-flight weather briefings including 

the SWIS Phase II weather data in Chicago, Hong Kong and Tokyo. During flight, they will have 

access to updated weather information while the aircraft is within the coverage region of the AsiaStar 

satellite. Detailed pilot surveys and operational flight data will be used to assess the effectiveness and 

usefulness of the SWIS Phase II weather data, as well as its impact on operational performance of the 

flights. Measurement of communications link performance and equipment performance (antenna and 

receiver) will also be accomplished. 

Figure 8 – Examples of SWIS Phase II graphical weather data displays: Infrared satellite imagery, 

winds aloft, and surface weather presentation. 
NASA/TM—2001-210886 9 

SUMMARY 

The continuing increase in air traffic worldwide puts significant strain on the safety and capacity of 

the global aviation system. NASA’s Aviation Safety and Aviation System Capacity Programs are 

addressing some of the critical issues in improving system safety and capacity. Weather has a 

significant impact on both the safety and operational efficiency of the aviation system. A key element 

of improving safety and capacity, therefore, is the timely dissemination of high quality aviation 

weather data to users throughout the system, in particular to the flight deck of the aircraft. 

The NASA Glenn Research Center is performing research, development and demonstration of 

technologies for weather data dissemination. Proposed architectures for future aviation weather 

dissemination emphasize an important role for satellite broadcast of weather data, particularly in 

providing a low cost solution available and beneficial to all classes of aircraft. The emergence of 

SDARS provides an opportunity for a very low cost satellite broadcast solution. NASA has entered 

into cooperative research efforts with Rockwell Collins, WorldSpace, Jeppesen and American 

Airlines to develop, demonstrate and evaluate prototype SDARS-based satellite aviation weather 

delivery systems under the SWIS Project. SWIS Phase I successfully demonstrated the basic 

feasibility of using SDARS to broadcast graphical weather information to operational aircraft using 

low cost equipment. SWIS Phase II is being designed to demonstrate and evaluate the application of 

SDARS to transport class aircraft operating trans-Pacific flights. Phase II will involve revenue 

service transport aircraft and include detailed technical evaluation of the prototype system for satellite 

delivery of aviation weather information and an assessment of the operational benefits to the airline. 

REFERENCES 

1. Stough, H. P, Shafer. D. B., Schaffner, P. R. and Martzaklis, K.S., “Reducing Aviation 

Weather-Related Accidents through High-Fidelity Weather Information Distribution and 

Presentation”, 22nd International Congress of the Aeronautical Sciences, Harrogate, UK, 

August 2000. 

2. National Aviation Weather Program Council Joint Action Group for Aviation Weather: 

National Aviation Weather Initiatives. Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology, 

FCM-P34-1999, February 1999. 

3. Communications System Architecture Development For Air Traffic Management & Aviation 

Weather Information Dissemination, NASA Research Task Order 24, Final Report, Science 

Applications International Corporation, for NASA Glenn Research Center under Contract 

NAS2-98002, May, 2000. 

4. SDARS Phase I Test Report, Rockwell Collins, Inc., 1999. 
This publication is available from the NASA Center for AeroSpace Information, 301–621–0390.

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Satellite communications; Aeronautical communications; Aviation weather

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Prepared for the 19th International Communications Satellite Systems Conference sponsored by the American Institute of

Aeronautics and Astronautics, Toulouse, France, April 17–20, 2001. Robert J. Kerczewski, NASA Glenn Research Center

and Richard Haendel, Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52498. Responsible person, Robert J. Kerczewski, organization code 6150, 216–433–3434.

Robert J. Kerczewski and Richard Haendel

Satellite Delivery of Aviation Weather Data

With aviation traffic continuing to increase worldwide, reducing the aviation accident rate and aviation schedule delays is

of critical importance. In the United States, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has established

the Aviation Safety Program and the Aviation System Capacity Program to develop and test new technologies to increase

aviation safety and system capacity. Weather is a significant contributor to aviation accidents and schedule delays. The

timely dissemination of weather information to decision makers in the aviation system, particularly to pilots, is essential

in reducing system delays and weather related aviation accidents. The NASA Glenn Research Center is investigating

improved methods of weather information dissemination through satellite broadcasting directly to aircraft. This paper

describes an on-going cooperative research program with NASA, Rockwell Collins, WorldSpace, Jeppesen and American

Airlines to evaluate the use of satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) for low cost broadcast of aviation weather

information, called Satellite Weather Information Service (SWIS). The description and results of the completed SWIS

Phase I are presented, and the description of the on-going SWIS Phase II is given.