ilyass31/MH370_Malaysian_Airlines_Satellite_Data

MH370 Inmarsat Satellite Data Logs

Overview

This dataset contains the data communication logs from the Inmarsat satellite system related to Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 (9M-MRO). The data was provided to the authorities to assist in the ongoing investigation and search efforts for the missing aircraft.

Dataset Contents

The dataset consists of structured logs recorded at the Ground Earth Station (GES), capturing communications between the Inmarsat satellite system and MH370’s terminal. Some non-essential columns have been removed for readability.

Data Format

• All times are in UTC.
• The logs cover communications from 16:00 UTC on March 7, 2014, until the last Handshake Request (Log On Interrogation) at 01:16 UTC on March 8, 2014.
• Each log entry includes multiple fields detailing signal timing, frequency offsets, and transmission characteristics.

Key Fields:

• Time: Timestamp of the log entry
• AES ID: Terminal identifier
• Channel Name / Type: Communication channel information
• Ocean Region: Satellite coverage area
• Burst Timing Offset (BTO): Used to estimate the distance between the aircraft and the satellite
• Burst Frequency Offset (BFO): Affected by Doppler shifts, useful for tracking movement
• Signal Strength & Quality Metrics: Includes power levels, frequency offsets, and estimated bit error rate

Understanding Key Metrics

Burst Timing Offset (BTO)

BTO values help estimate the aircraft's distance from the satellite based on:

• Signal travel time (ground station → satellite → aircraft → satellite → ground station)
• Fixed processing delays in the satellite, ground station, and aircraft terminal

BTO does not provide an exact aircraft location, but it helps determine possible flight paths.

Burst Frequency Offset (BFO)

BFO values indicate Doppler shift effects on the signal, which depend on:

• Aircraft motion relative to the satellite
• Satellite motion relative to Earth
• Fixed biases from aircraft and satellite transmitters

Corrections applied by the Automatic Frequency Control (AFC) system in the ground station compensate for some of these effects.

Applications of This Data

This dataset is valuable for:

• Aviation forensic analysis
• Reconstructing MH370’s possible flight paths
• Machine learning models for anomaly detection in aviation telemetry
• Understanding satellite-based tracking systems

Citation & Acknowledgments

This dataset is based on publicly available Inmarsat logs used in the MH370 investigation. Credit goes to aviation safety researchers, satellite engineers, and data analysts contributing to this effort.

For further analysis or collaborations, feel free to contribute!