Space Weather Vulnerabilities in a Modern National Airspace System

Space Weather can negatively impact civil aviation’s ability to navigate and communicate. Operations reliant upon Global Positioning System (GPS)/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) may be at risk requiring aircraft (traditional and new entrants such as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)/Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)) to use ground-based navigation systems if available. Investigations have determined there are more than 2,500 airports in the United States (U.S.) National Airspace System (NAS) where space weather events could impact aircraft GPS/GNSS-based landings. In addition, there are thirty U.S. airports that could be significantly constrained during instrument meteorological conditions should space weather disrupt navigational guidance systems. The operational risks from space weather events to AAM/UAS precision navigation in a future Info-Centric NAS (ICN)and the needs for consistent impact mitigations that maintain operational safety should space weather create navigational position errors of tens of meters could be significant, especially when operating in urban areas.

Most aviation decision makers are only required by regulation to consider space weather radio impacts with high frequency (HF) communications north of 78°N. Yet at lower latitudes, impacts to HF as well as other frequencies (very high frequency (VHF), ultra-high frequency (UHF), L-band, and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)) have been observed and need to be quantified within the aviation community. Additionally, other frequencies were identified that space weather could impact such as satellite communications Command & Control, and ground-based networks that need to be considered for AAM/UAS disruptions to operations in a modernized NAS. FAA regulations, documentation, procedures, and training focus only on potential impacts for high-latitude flights leading airlines to be unaware of effects at lower latitudes.

This paper will discuss recent events highlighting the need for further investigation into navigation and communications impacts to aviation. We will share thoughts on how to potentially mitigate safety risks and service disruptions at vulnerable airports and maturing AAM/UAS operations by quantifying GPS/GNSS distance errors based on solar event intensity and resultant disruption to networks reliant on timing for ICN. Also, we will discuss developing an improved method to identify source of GPS outage, when specifically associated with space weather events and managing GPS disruptions from human or natural causes. (i.e., jamming, spoofing, space weather). Analyze historical space weather events' impact on airline communications, including instances not meeting predefined thresholds and/or those not confined to the polar region, and assessing additional communication frequencies to enhance aviation safety and operational resilience.

NOTICE

This work was produced for the U.S. Government under Contract 693KA8-22-C-00001 and is subject to Federal Aviation Administration Acquisition Management System Clause 3.5-13, Rights In Data-General, Alt. III and Alt. IV (Oct. 1996).

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