Will Ivancic - Secure Mobile Networking

NASA Request for Comments on

Global Air Space System Requirements

 

 

Please send input to:  Will Ivancic

 

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THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICIATION. IT IS A REQUEST FOR COMMENT ONLY.

On February 8, 2005, NASA release a formal request for information (RFI) seeking comments on these requirements with the intent to encourage open response that could be shared globally.  This formal RFI expired on March 28, 2005 and may still be available at the following URL: http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/synopsis.cgi?acqid=114192.  Although the formal RFI has closed, the Network Research Group is still very interested in receiving comments.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is performing research and development under the Airspace Systems Program to enable major increases in the capacity and mobility of the air transportation system.  The Advanced CNS Architectures and Systems Technologies Project (ACAST) Project within this program is developing technologies intended to improve the performance of the communications/navigation/surveillance infrastructure in support of the program’s goals. 

 

NASA is working with other U.S. government agencies including Department of Defense, Department of Homeland, Department of Transportation, and the Federal Aviation Administration to define concepts and requirements for transformation of the National Airspace System required to enable a 3 times growth in system capacity.  A key concept of this transformation is the development of network-centric information systems which includes the airborne elements.

 

NASA also initiated the Secure Aircraft System for Information Flow (SASIF) project in 2004.  SASIF is an element of the Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) and is concerned with hardening the radio data links and network communications, mainly directed at hostile act intervention and protection.  

NASA is seeking comments from various industries, academia and government agencies throughout the world regarding their view of future requirements pertaining to network-centric operations for both airspace system user operations and secure air traffic management. Comments are being sought from those directly involved in aeronautics, as well as telecommunication, communication, computer and information assurance providers in order to include the broadest possible range of inputs.  Application of commercial off the shelf technologies and techniques has the potential to make network centric operations economically and technically realizable throughout the Global Airspace System.  Network centric operations has the potential to greatly enhance system security, capacity and throughput, as well as providing airlines with new revenue generating services (e.g. entertainment services, Internet access, directed advertising, and telephone service) and operations (e.g. engine and aircraft monitoring, security, electronic flight bag, baggage handling, flight safety, and passenger scheduling and rescheduling).  

Global Airspace System Requirements:

  • Must be value added
    • Cannot add cost without a return on investment that meets or exceeds those costs.
  • Must operate over Global Airspace System, not just National Airspace System
  • Must be interoperable throughout the World (not just US friendly nations)
  • Must be capable of utilizing whatever links become available – link independent
    • Must be able to perform critical Air Traffic Management (ATM) functions over low-bandwidth links
  • Must use same basic security mechanisms for Air Mobile and Ground Infrastructure (surface, terminal, en router, oceanic and space)
    • Critical ATM messages must be authenticated.
    • Must be capable of encryption when deemed necessary
    • Security mechanisms must be usable over entire Global network
      • Must not violate International Traffic in Arms Regulations
  • Must operate across networks owned and operated by various entities
    • Must be able to share network infrastructure
  • Must use same technology (i.e. core networking hardware and protocols) for aeronautics as will be used by other industries (e.g. automotive, medical, banking, etc…).
  • Must enable sharing of information with proper security, authentication, and authorization
    • Situational Awareness
    • Passenger Lists
    • Aircraft Maintenance
  • Same network must accommodate both commercial, military and general aviation.

 

Design Concepts:

  • Must be IPv6 based.
  • Must be capable of a prioritized mixing of traffic over a single RF link (e.g. ATM, maintenance, onboard security, weather and entertainment).
  • Must utilize IPsec-based security with Security Assoiciations (SAs) bound to permanent host identities (e.g. certificates) and not ephemeral host locators (e.g. IP addresses).
  • Must be capable of accommodating mobile networks.
  • Must be capable of multicasting
  • Must be scalable to tens of thousands of aircraft

 

 

1.     Please send relevant literature and information to: E-mail address: wivancic@grc.nasa.gov NASA-Glenn Research Center Attn: William D. Ivancic M/S 54-4 21000 Brookpark Road Cleveland, OH 44135-3191 (216) 433-3494

2.     Such information shall include electronic file in either Microsoft Word, PDF or Postscript (PDF is preferred) with your comments to the System Requirements and Design Concepts. As part of your information package, please include company Technical Point(s) of Contact including address, telephone number and e-mail address.

3.     The information received from this RFI is expected to be used by NASA, the DoD and the FAA to develop aeronautical network architectures and associated technologies.

4.     We desire to make responses available to the global community via the World Wide Web. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, all responses to this RFI shall be made publicly available. Those wishing to keep their responses confidential should state so at the beginning of their response with such wording as “Confidential or Limited distribution. Please do not disclose outside of the US Government.”

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Last Updated: April 5, 2005
Will Ivancic