Article

Shipmonitoring via AIS: ESAIL successfully launched by LuxSpace


by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 13 September 2020 70 -

picture and text by LuxSpace / OHB

Kourou/Betzdorf, September 3, 2020.
ESAIL, the first commercial microsatellite developed under the European Space Agency ESA’s SAT-AIS program for tracking ships, took off successfully from the spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on board a Vega launcher at 3.51 a.m. (CET) tonight, reaching its orbit just under two hours later. Luxembourg-based LuxSpace, a subsidiary of the space and technology group OHB SE, was responsible for the full integration of ESAIL.

The long wait for the launch

ESAIL was originally to be launched in March 2020. However, due to the corona pandemic, the French government largely shut down the spaceport in French Guyana in March. Unable to complete their work on the satellite, the LuxSpace team traveled back to Europe and had to control the launch preparations remotely from the LuxSpace headquarters in Betzdorf. Other launch dates planned for June, July and August also had to be postponed due to heavy winds. “I have rarely had to wait this long for a successful launch of an OHB satellite. This makes me all the happier that ESAIL has now finally been able to embark on its journey into space,” says LuxSpace Managing Director Jochen Harms.

ESAIL is watching you

The client exactEarth will be using ESAIL for worldwide ship monitoring. ESAIL will form part of the exactEarth satellite constellation, which will monitor ships using its automatic identification system. ESAIL has been developed in an ESA partnership programme with the support of the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) to improve the next generation of satellite-based services for the maritime sector.
Watch launch video on YouTube
Watch launch video on YouTube
Watch launch video on YouTube
Watch launch video on YouTube

About LuxSpace:

LuxSpace was created in November 2004 as a daughter company of OHB SE and is located in the SES Business Center at Betzdorf in Luxembourg. Belonging to the international network of companies within the OHB group, LuxSpace provides know-how, expertise as well as products and services to the European and global institutional and industrial market in the fields of space and defence system engineering and application development.
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Video LuxSpace ESAIL Packaging and Shipment

published on 16 September 2020

Discover the final hours of packaging and preparations of the ESAIL satellite before it left Luxembourg. The ESAIL microsatellite for tracking ships at sea has completed its latest environmental and system performance tests and set off for Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. On 17 February the satellite left Luxembourg, where it was built by LuxSpace under an ESA Partnership Project with the Canadian operator exactEarth, sponsored by the Luxembourg Space Agency and other ESA member...

0

Video ESAIL Maritime Satellite Launched

published on 16 September 2020

The #ESAIL #microsatellite for tracking ships worldwide was launched. This is the first maritime satellite of its kind produced and assembled in Luxembourg. Hear from #Luxembourg Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot about this pioneering #ESA partnership project developed with #LuxSpace and #Exactearth.

0

Video Luxembourg Space Expertise: LuxSpace / ESAIL

published on 16 September 2020

LuxSpace CEO, Jochen Harms, on putting the ESAIL microsatellite into orbit.
ESAIL is part of ESA’s Partnership Projects and has been developed to enhance the next generation of space‐based services for the maritime sector. The spacecraft will track ship movements over the entire globe as it orbits the planet.

0

Article P&O Maritime Logistics welcomes new pilot boat to fleet

by Baird Maritime - published on 26 May 2025

P&O Sahm is the fifth pilot boat to be acquired by P&O Maritime Logistics from the same builder. It will be operated out of Port Rashid in Dubai.

0

Article Operational notes & recommendations on Portable Pilot Units (PPU)

by United Kingdom Maritime Pilots Association - published on 2 December 2021

OPERATIONAL NOTES AND RECOMMENDATIONS by UKMPA, February 2017
The introduction of modern lightweight Portable Pilot Units (PPU) for use during pilotage has proved to be another major advance for pilotage operations worldwide.

1

Article Support hashtag #MarinePilots

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 4 September 2019

To better bundle all articles and messages about Marine / Maritime Pilots I would like to suggest the Hashtag #MARINEPILOTS. We can use it well here on LinkedIn, but also for other social media like Twitter.

0

Article Wärtsilä to supply one of Europe’s most advanced simulators to Finland

published on 22 November 2023

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply its latest simulator technology for a new maritime training centre in Finland.

0

Video Perfect Simulation: Ever Given Accident in 2D plus 3D

published on 21 April 2021

On the 23rd of March 2021 the VLCC Ever Given grounded in the Suez Canal. A strong southerly wind (between 6 and 7 BFT) plus so-called bank shear caused steering issues. This a combined 2D and 3D reconstruction of the incident based on recorded AIS data.

1

Video Maritime Pilot first duty at New Harbour

published on 10 May 2021

first day the maritime pilot at new harbour, what does he know for keep safety on, find the something new but they was 6 years as Pilot at other port

0

Article NTSB investigation: Higher speed contributes to contact of tow with bridge

published on 14 December 2020

NTSB issued an investigation report on the contact of tow William C with a Rock Island railroad bridge protection cell, on Des Plaines River, in January 2020. The investigation established that high speed prevented the pilot to correct the tow’s position after completing the transit through the previous bridge.

0