A framework for Global Aircraft Tracking System is presented. The concept is response to “industry's antiquated tracking” publicly reviled by Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 mysterious disappearance. This device will be as small as navigation light and will consume less electricity . It will work in ghost mode like “black boxes” to prevent accidently or deliberately switch-off . It is well known, the weak point of any tracking system is the communication link. Nano track will use its own Nanosatellite Communication Network . Minimalistic communication, 3U form factor CubeSat, and wide us off-the-shelf components will minimize development time and cost. We expect the system to be affordable not only for old civil aviation fleet but also for general aviation.

1. Redundant, Global, Continuous
aircraft tracking system

2. Fills the gap between ‘last known
position’ and actual location

3. Frustrating operation in search of vanished MH 370
revealed a severe gap in global airspace control
The state-of-art Boing 777 actually disappeared en
route in busy airspace of South China Sea long
before to plunge in remote South Indian Ocean
We have a strong indication for system problem.
Therefore, it couldn’t be resolved within current
paradigm.
"It is hard for anyone to imagine that we can't continuously track aircraft anywhere in the
world."Peter Roberts, Royal United Services Institute

4. Even the GPS is global by its definition, the most of
communications are not
The “Next” airspace surveillance systems under
development kept rudiments of their origin from
radar transponders
Backward compatibility is surely necessary for Air
Traffic Control but not for an independent
redundant tracking system
“… many experts were dismayed that long-awaited improvements to the industry's
antiquated tracking system hadn't happened in time.” [BBC News, April 2014]

5. Regulatory pressure had failed again to chance
situation (ref. recent IATA reports)
The emerging commercial space initiative may offer
a viable solution of evident need of upgrading
tracking systems in short terms
Indeed, the regulations had to be upgraded too,
but any regulatory prescriptions must be based on
available technical solutions
“Once the search is completed, attention is likely to turn to improving the tracking
technology.” [BBC News ]

6. The weak point of any tracking system is its
communication link
Existing global satellite communication networks
simply couldn’t adsorb data traffic associated with
continuous tracking of tenths of thousands flights
To be commercially viable and acceptable for most
of end users the cost per tracking point must be
reduced several orders in magnitude

7. Save lives awaiting rescue in unknown
remote locations
Save the face of modern technology
Real world application of eruptive
developments of nanosatellites, digital
signal processing and communications
Provide airlines, leasing and insurance
companies, marketer strategists etc. with
near real time and structured tracking data

8. Fully autonomous
GNSS - INS + simplex
uplink
Data streaming via
Application Specific
Nano-satellite based
network
Self-powered (solar or
ram turbine + buffer
battery)
Externally mounted
firing module

9. Self organized
asynchronous TDMA
One-way
communication
Very short burst ~100µs
High pulse power
10÷100W
Low average power
consumption <50 mW
Higher signal-to-noise
ratio and power
efficiency
S or C band
5 MHz badwith channel

10. Cubsat S3 formfactor
Magnetorquer attitude
control
MHD plasma thruster
Smart receiver
antenna
Nadir spin stabilized
Ka band intersatellite
communication

11. Minimum cost/development
time
High redundancy
Increasing number of
satellites along with
subscribers increasing
Mass production
Reliability/cost optimization

16. To broadcast continuously airplane position, and
essential status data via satellite network.
To be always ON in flight and to require no
operator intervention or even preclude it.
To be fully autonomous and as possible
independent from other airplane systems,
To be self-contained and self powered.
Simple, reliable, affordable.
Easy to install on existing planes with no
significant modifications and heavy licensing.

17. Commercially savvy rather institutionally backed
Inherently Internet integrated
Developed in close collaboration with end users of
tracking information on commercial basis
Backup of ATC surveillance systems
Rescue operations integrated
Designed for the future challenges: UAV revolution,
personal flits, commercial spaceplanes…

18. Albert Einstein