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."

"We are pleased with the efficiency and thoroughness of the launch operation," said Tony Robinson, Orbcomm's Space Segment Vice President. "The Russian Space Forces, OHB-System, Polyot, and ROSCOSMOS provided superior support in helping us to launch these satellites."

The launch of these six spacecraft is part of Orbcomm's long term plan to expand and upgrade its existing constellation of 29 satellites.

In May 2008, Orbcomm announced that it had signed a $117 million contract with Sierra Nevada Corporation for the design, manufacture and delivery of 18 new satellites, with an option to purchase as many as 30 more.

Sierra Nevada has formed a strategic team with subcontractors that include Boeing, ITT, Argon ST and MicroSat. Orbcomm plans to launch the 18 satellites in three separate missions of six satellites each between 2010 and 2011.

OHB-System AG responsible for building satellite buses, integration and launch
Bremen, Germany - Six new communications satellites have been successfully launched on board a Cosmos 3M carrier, which lifted off from Kasputin Yar in Russia. They are to be used to augment and modernize the communications network operated by US satellite operator ORBCOMM Inc., which currently comprises 29 satellites.

One of the six new satellites, known as the ORBCOMM CDS, is a fully equipped demonstration satellite for the US Coast Guard. In addition to handling the previous communications activities, i.e. the transportation of data packets, it is also able to transmit Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals, thus offering the means of monitoring international shipping on a global basis for the first time.

Going by the name of ORBCOMM Quick Launch, the other five satellites have been developed on the basis of the ORBCOMM CDS but are even more powerful due to their greater payload capacity. Thanks to an improved redundancy concept, their life expectancy has been increased to between eight and ten years.

Bremen-based space technology company OHB-System AG, a subsidiary of OHB Technology AG (ISIN: DE0005936124, Prime Standard), was responsible for building the satellite buses and integrating and launching the satellites.

Commenting on the launch, the CEO of OHB-System AG, Prof. Manfred Fuchs, had this to say: "With the development and construction of the new ORBCOMM satellites, OHB has impressively demonstrated its abilities in the commercial satellite market as well. In addition, we are very proud of the success of this unique international venture with our Russian and US partners."

OHB-System performed integration and function-testing of the satellites in Bremen. The satellites were constructed in conjunction with the COSMOS Space Systems AG joint venture, with Russian partner Polyot from Omsk supplying the satellite bus and handling the launch operations. Based in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital Sciences Corporation developed and constructed the six communication payloads.

Related Links
Orbcomm
OHB-System
Launch Pad at Space-Travel.com

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