Image: iStock.com/NicoElNino
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified Madrid-based European Satellite Services Provider (EESP) as a pan-European communication services provider for Iris data link services.
Iris, a project supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and various European partners, aims to develop a satellite-based air-ground communication system to enhance air traffic management. By 2028, Iris will enable full 4D trajectory management of airspaces globally, making it a crucial means of communication between cockpit crews and controllers.
The certification of ESSP as an Iris data link services provider comes after more than a year of testing and audits at both ESSP and Inmarsat premises. The certification establishing compliance with relevant regulations and associated industrial standards for data link services.
Additionally, ESSP recently signed a long-term contract with Viasat/Inmarsat to act as the Service Provider for Iris data link services, powered by Viasat’s SwiftBroadband Safety (SB-S) connectivity. As The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) service provider, ESSP is already under a long-term contract with the European Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA), where it carries out EGNOS operations and maintenance.
Iris is scheduled to be fully operational in Europe by 2024, providing services to airlines such as easyJet and ITA Airways. ESSP will lead the commercialization of Iris services, targeting European Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs). The service provision consortium includes ESSP SAS, Inmarsat, and SITA, with other communication network providers expected to join in the future.