On the 13th and 14th of September, the ARAIMFUSE team attended the Space4Innovation in Rail event. This collaborative event was spearheaded by the European Commission, the European Union’s Rail System Authority (ERA), the Europe Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail), the European Agency for the space program (EUSPA) and the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Their collective aim was to explore avenues for leveraging satellite technology within the rail sector.
Throughout the event, an assortment of projects was showcased, and expert panelists facilitated discussions on a variety of topics such as:
- Space for Expanding ERTMS Capabilities
- Bringing Innovation to the Market – Are Satellites on Track.
- Sector Representative View on Satellite Based Localization in ERTMS
- IRIS2 – EU Satellite Communication as an option for ERTMS
- Practical Steps towards Adoption of EU-Space Solutions in Rail Signaling
The ARAIMFUSE team found particular interest in the first three discussions. During the discussion on expanding ERTMS capabilities through space, the spotlight was on the confluence of innovation and competition. Rodrigo da Costa emphasized the substantial benefits that space innovation brings to competitiveness, outlining the crucial roles of EGNOS in ensuring integrity, Copernicus in surveillance, monitoring against climate and natural disasters and railway mapping. GOVSATCOM was mentioned as a forthcoming service designed to facilitate secure communications, boasting extensive coverage and high reliability.
In the discussion on sector representative views on satellite-based localization in ERTMS, there was a shared concern among suppliers and leasing companies regarding the incremental costs incurred from adopting satellite technology, particularly for train operators.
For the ARAIMFUSE team, the most pertinent discussion was the one that reviewed the trajectory of specific projects including CLUG2, HELMET, FP2-R2DATO, and FP6-FutuRe. The central focus of these projects is the integration of GPS, Galileo and EGNOS, coupled with sensor fusion and virtual balises, aiming to augment capacity and enhance positioning accuracy while maintaining a high standard of safety. Noteworthy was the assessment presented during the HELMET presentation, where future strategies post-project completion were delineated. One significant forward step involves studying the application of solution separation RAIM as the ultimate verification of OBU integrity. This corresponds with the endeavors of the ARAIMFUSE project, underscoring its critical role in advancing the future of the rail sector.
For more information, please remit to ARAIMFUSE web page: https://araimfuse.gmv.com/
