Iris Service is an Aeronautical Mobile Satellite (Route) Service (AMS(R)S) based on ATN/OSI standards and supporting ATS data communication services for operational ATN-B1/ATS-B2 Controller Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC) and ATS-B2 aircraft-to-Air Navigation Service Providers surveillance-related information (ADS-C).
Iris Service utilizes Viasat geostationary satellite constellation and supporting ground stations and networks, providing global coverage and high data rate L-band communication to aircraft.
Iris Service is provided by the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP) as the Iris Service Provider (ISP).
In July 2023, EASA granted ESSP with the EASA Service Provider Certificate certifying ESSP as an Air Traffic Management (ATM)/Air Navigation Service (ANS) Service Provider Organisation for the provision of Iris Service, as described in the Iris Service Definition Document (SDD), being under EASA continuous oversight.
Iris Service is accessible through a working agreement between the corresponding Organization (i.e. ANSP) and the Iris Service Provider (i.e. ESSP).
ESSP provides Iris Service during the en-route phase above the Flight Level 145 over continental airspace within the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) region.
Iris Service enables support of two types of ATS data applications, namely, CPDLC and ADS-C. Specific service levels addressing each data link application are defined, namely:
- Iris ATN/OSI Service Level 1 which enables the following RCP specifications supporting CPDLC application for ATN B1 and ATS B2 data link services:
- RCP specified in the Baseline 1 Service Performance Requirement (SPR) ED-120
- RCP130/A1 specified in the Baseline 2 Service Performance Requirement (SPR) standard (ED-228)
- Iris ATN/OSI Service Level 2 which enables the following RSP specification supporting ADS-C application for ATS B2 data link services:
- RSP160/A1 specified in the Baseline 2 Service Performance Requirement (SPR) standard (ED-228)
The service specifications and the terms and the conditions of use of the Iris Service are provided in the Iris Service Definition Document.