AISSat-1 Early Results

AISSat-1 was launched on July 12, 2010 and is believed to be the first high performance nano-satellite to provide an observational service to governmental authorities. The primary mission objective is to perform maritime observation in the Norwegian High North and High South, thereby making a considerable contribution to the maritime situational awareness (MSA) of these areas. The satellite is built, tested and prepared for flight by the Space Flight Laboratory at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS/SFL), and is based on the 20 cm cube Generic Nano-satellite Bus (GNB). UTIAS/SFL also handled the launch of AISSat-1 by an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from southern India. The payload is an AIS receiver developed and manufactured by Kongsberg Seatex AS, Trondheim Norway. The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), Kjeller Norway developed the AISSat-1 mission concept and has been responsible for managing the project and for testing and preparing the AIS payload for flight. The Automatic Identification System (AIS) for maritime vessels was introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to enhance the safety of life at sea (SOLAS). Vessels greater than 300 gt or carrying 12 or more passengers are broadcasting AIS messages on two channels in the maritime VHF band on regular basis to neighboring vessels for collision avoidance, and also to shore stations for vessel traffic services (VTS). AISSat-1 is designed to receive these AIS messages in space, and to forward the messages to the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA), with the aim to extend the range of the Norwegian ground based AIS network to also cover ocean areas at the high seas. Some early results from AISSat-1 presented here clearly demonstrate that a low cost high performance nano-satellite can provide excellent and much needed maritime observation information to government authorities.