Honeywell has become a Value-Added Manufacturer of aviation terminals for the Iridium NEXT network. The Aspire 150 and 350 satellite communications systems are the first aviation satcom solutions to demonstrate connectivity at up to 700 kbps via the Iridium Certus service.
“We have made great technological strides with our Aspire 150 and 350 systems since announcing the products in 2018,” said Mark Goodman, Director, Product Management, Honeywell Aerospace. “We have successfully transmitted over the Iridium network at speeds up to 700 kbps with pre-qualification form, fit and function aviation equipment. This demonstrates not only our great progress toward certification, but also our commitment to bring the best and latest high-speed connectivity to our customers around the world.”
Both the Aspire 150 and Aspire 350 systems are simple to install, minimising upgrade costs and aircraft downtime. The new Aspire systems are also smaller than previous generations, reducing weight and boosting fuel savings. According to Honeywell, Aspire 150 provides operators with affordable, fast, reliable connectivity at a fraction of traditional costs. In addition to these same benefits, Aspire 350 includes the global Future Air Navigation System datalink for pilots to take advantage of preferred routing worldwide, as well as cockpit satellite voice capabilities. It provides legacy Iridium cockpit safety services and Certus high-speed voice and data connectivity in a compact, lightweight package.
Honeywell has successfully connected to the Iridium NEXT satellites and transmitted data over the satellite network. Connectivity with the satellites was achieved using a very small, light active high gain antenna. Other components in the system include the satellite data unit (SDU), the SDU configuration module and a low gain antenna. Certification is planned for the fourth quarter of 2021 for both the Aspire 150 and Aspire 350.
