EMSA/ESA SAT-AIS Initiative -Cutting-edge Space and Ground Technology

摘要

Satellite-based Automatic Identification System (SAT-AIS) provides AIS data from low Earth orbits, allowing for the identification and tracking of ships on global scale and therefore make the Sea Safer by filling the "blue gaps" on the Earth map. The ship's identity and position contained in AIS messages are picked up by low-orbit satellites then send back down to Data Processing Centres. SAT-AIS is able to assist European entities and institutions in law enforcement, fisheries control campaigns, customs, defence, maritime border control operations, maritime safety and security issues including marine pollution response, search and rescue and anti-piracy. The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) are cooperating to maximise the provision and use of SAT-AIS data and have demonstrated several new SAT-AIS data services. EMSA and ESA have implemented a SAT-AIS Data Processing Centre (DPC) under a joint project team which is currently being integrated into the Integrated Maritime Data Environment (IMDatE) at EMSA to enhance the operational maritime services. Within ESA's Telecom Programme the next generation SAT-AIS receiver payload for the Norwegian NORSAT--1 mission has being developed and delivered to the Norwegian Space Centre as mission prime. The NAIS receiver features advanced in-orbit signal processing of up to 4 antennas and 6 AIS channels, still being suitable for nano- and micro-satellites resources (<1.5 kg, <5W). Through a further project, a new generation of SAT-AIS micro-satellites is developed, within a Private Public Partnership. The microsatellites will feature advanced antennas, signal processing and will downlink also the raw data received from ships to perform computing intensive processing on ground. With these projects, ESA's SAT-AIS programme boosts the identification and global tracking of ships with cutting-edge space and ground technology. The overview of the on-going SAT-AIS activities are presented in this paper.