Iris, element 10 of the ARTES programme, aims to develop a new air-ground communication system for Air Traffic Management (ATM). It is the satellite-based solution for the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) programme. By 2020 it will contribute to the modernisation of air traffic management by providing digital data links to cockpit crews in continental and oceanic airspace.

Iris / ARTES 10 consists of three phases:

• Phase One was a definition phase, which provided inputs to allow SESAR to make an informed choice with regards to satellite capabilities
• Phase Two of the programme focuses on the development of a new satellite-based communication system including a new satellite communication standard, the performance of which will be validated end-to-end with a subset of the infrastructure required for the future European ATM system
• Phase Three will support in-orbit verification and certification of the pre-operational system, provide technical support to the deployment of the full system, and perform preliminary work leading to an enhanced future role for satellites.