Network Real-Time Mission Monitoring
Safe, Efficient and Dynamic Space Traffic Integration
As launch and re-entry operations become more frequent, European air traffic management requires enhanced capabilities to manage their impact safely and efficiently. Today, these missions often require large, static airspace reservations and extensive coordination. While effective from a safety perspective, this approach can reduce network capacity, create delays, increase rerouting and fuel burn, and limit the operational flexibility of both aviation and space operators.
The partners in the SESAR project ECHO2 address this challenge through a newly developed Network Real-Time Mission Monitoring tool (N-RMM) for the EUROCONTROL Network Manager.
The solution combines real-time mission information with airspace and traffic data to provide enhanced situational awareness during launch and re-entry operations. This supports a more dynamic management of airspace restrictions, including their timely activation, adaptation and release, thereby minimising unnecessary airspace closures. It also improves the handling of non-nominal events through the rapid identification and dissemination of Debris Response Areas based on live operational information.
By moving from static segregation towards a more dynamic and data-driven approach, the N-RMM tool helps maintain safety, while improving airspace utilisation, operational predictability and network resilience.
At the Airspace World, DLR presents the N-RMM prototype and operational concept, which are designed to support the integration of space transportation activities into the European ATM system. This solution has been validated towards a high maturity (Technology Readiness Level 6) in a representative operational environment.
The ECHO and ECHO 2 projects have received funding from the SESAR Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon Europe innovation programme under grant agreements No 890417 and No 101114697.
