The evolution of the ERTMS system foresees, among the others, the adoption of satellite technologies for train localization and IP-based telecom solutions to replace the GSM-R infrastructure. These innovations are important to reduce the complexity and cost of the ERTMS ground infrastructure and to improve the economical sustainability of ERTMS on low traffic and local lines. In 2012 RFI has conceived ERSAT (ERtms on SATellite) a technological platform for verifying and testing the suitability of satellite technology within the ERTMS ecosystem and to contribute to the future standardization process. The building blocks of ERSAT are two European projects: 3InSat of the European Space Agency (ESA) and ERSAT EAV of the European GNSS Satellite Agency (GSA) in the frame of the H2020 Galileo 1 program. The ERSAT Test Bed is in Sardinia on the RFI regional line where the core ERTMS and satellite systems have been deployed to verify the performance of a multi-bearer telecom system based on public networks (Cellular, Satellite) and the satellite localization system compatible with the ERTMS.

The ERSAT EAV project is relevant to the work programme for the exploitation of the space infrastructure, in particular prioritising the EGNSS uptake for the rail sector, fostering the competition and the innovation of the European space and rail industry and research community, and enhancing in parallel the strong coordination and synergy with the specific sector of European Railways and the main actors involved, building-up a system cantered to the ERTMS platform and able to bring to the ERTMS the “competitivity-dividend” of the satellite promises, linked with the enormous opportunity of the local and regional lines in Europe that represent about 50% of the total railways length.