Coast Guard announces successful launch of AIS Satellite
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Friday the launch of an ORBCOMM concept demonstration satellite, equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) capability, from Kapustin Yar, Russia, Thursday.
The satellite attained a proper orbit and is expected to start transmitting operational data within the next three months. The U.S. Coast Guard Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS) Project sponsored equipment on the satellite to test the feasibility and effectiveness of AIS message reception and reporting from space for ship tracking and other navigational activities. The launch marks an important milestone in the development of the NAIS project.
The NAIS project will improve maritime domain awareness for the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security by using the integrated network of AIS equipment and user interface services that display and exchange AIS-equipped vessel information for maritime safety and security. Data collected by the NAIS supports the nation’s maritime interests by promoting vessel and port safety through collision avoidance, and through detection, traffic identification, and classification of vessels out to 2,000 nautical miles from shore.
The NAIS project is being implemented in three primary increments. Increment one, fielded in September 2007, currently provides the capability to receive AIS messages at 55 critical ports and nine coastal areas across the nation. Increment two (with nationwide AIS transmit and receipt coverage) will provide the capability to receive AIS messages out to 50 nautical miles and transmit AIS messages out to 24 nautical miles along the entire coastline of the U.S. and designated inland waterways. Increment three will extend the coverage for receipt of AIS messages out to 2,000 nautical miles from shore. The upcoming satellite testing will assist in the development of Increment three of the NAIS project.
For more information on the project visit: http://www.uscg.mil/nais/, and for more information on automatic identification system technology, standards and carriage requirements visit: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/enav/ais/
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/786/212499/
More from the ORBCOMM:
The Coast Guard and five Quick Launch satellites will be positioned optimally to augment the existing ORBCOMM constellation, providing additional capacity and improved message delivery speeds for current and future ORBCOMM users. In addition, these satellites are equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) payloads which will enable them to receive and report AIS transmissions to be used for ship tracking and other navigational activities. ORBCOMM has been working closely with the US Coast Guard on the AIS project, and also intends to market AIS data to other U.S. and international government agencies, as well as to companies whose businesses require such information.
“This is an important step for us and our customers,” said Marc Eisenberg, ORBCOMM’s CEO. “With the successful launch of these six new satellites, we expect to both improve the quality of our service and enter the AIS data services business. The AIS capability onboard these satellites make ORBCOMM the only company capable of providing space based worldwide commercial AIS data services.”
