What is NextGen?

The National Airspace System (NAS) is the collection of all the components (airspace, facilities, equipment, services, workforce, procedures, etc.) that enable the nation’s air transportation system. “NextGen,” short for the “Next Generation Air Transportation System,” is a comprehensive transformation of the NAS, to a system that will be safer, more reliable and more efficient, and which will reduce the impact of aviation on the environment. The transition to NextGen is vital to improving system performance, meeting continued growth in air traffic, and increasing the Nation’s mobility to support economic progress.

What is NASA doing to contribute to achieving NextGen?

NASA is collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other industry partners to develop advanced automation concepts and tools that provide air traffic controllers, pilots, and other airspace users with more accurate real-time information about the nation’s traffic flow, weather, and routing. The greater precision of this information is a key enabler of NextGen.

What is the Aviation Systems Division contributing to NextGen?

The Aviation Systems Division is actively researching, developing and testing innovative automation solutions, including concepts, technologies, and procedures, to identify the most promising capabilities to achieve NextGen. The Division performs research in all airspace domains and ATM technical disciplines.