Porto Cervo: first application of new Telespazio's satellite system
ORBCOMM CONSTELLATION WILL MONITOR THE SARDINIA CUP

For the first time in history, a fleet of regatta vessels (taking part in the 1998 edition of the Sardinia Cup to be held on 13-20 September at Porto Cervo) will be experimentally equipped with Orbcomm satellite system terminals, in order to constantly and automatically transmit each vessel position.

The terminals, which will be installed free of charge by Telespazio for the duration of the event, will be linked to a constellation of satellites circling the earth in low orbit (i.e. around 800 km from Earth) and will serve the Orbcomm mobile communication system. The system actually has 20 satellites in orbit (out of 26 expected for the constellation) and they can cover 24 hours a day the regatta's area.

Besides automatically radio-positioning, the system will offer services ranging from message exchange to e-mail and data forwarding in real time to automatic alarm management (maydays and position transmission) for the management of leisure and merchant fleets.

During night-time sailing, thanks to the simultaneous presence of several satellites in the European skies, it will be possible to follow the various phases of the race in real time on the screens and, through the official Internet site (http;//www.sardiniacup.com) realised by After in collaboration with Telespazio, the results, images and data collected during the daily races and displayed on an image of the regatta course photographed by satellite.

Telespazio, company of the Telecom Italia Group, is a leader in our country and abroad in the design, implementation, operation and service for systems and services based on satellite technology.

THE ORBCOMM SYSTEM

The activity of the Orbcomm mobile communication system is based on the eventual availability of a constellation of 26 low-orbiting satellites (around 800 km from Earth) which provide around-the-clock coverage of the globe, rising and setting at a rate that ensures there is at least one over a given area at all times.

Twenty satellites are already in orbit, while the remainder will be launched in autumn.

The Orbcomm system offers a concrete response to any type of requirement for two-way messaging, data transmission, email and radio-positioning.

Orbcomm offers an User friendly connection to the system through the traditional public and private communication networks, intranet and internet.

Therefore Orbcomm is particularly suitable for the following applications:
global positioning of land, naval and rail fleets and containers;
assistance and rescue (especially to the constant presence of alarm reception and management centres);
environmental and industrial monitoring (coupling the system with the use of specific sensors);
farm management and crop forecasting;
detection, reception, integration and distribution of meteorological data;
transmission of personal messages;
rapid recovery of stolen vehicles;
civil protection (communication restore in case of natural calamities).

The main Orbcomm applications in the nautical sector are:
ship and fleet remote positioning, tracking and tracing (Gps accuracy);
MayDay automatic transmission (alarms, updated vessel position, vessel data);
transmission and reception of personal messages (e-mail);
equipment and vessel instruments remote monitoring;
detection, reception, integration and distribution of meteorological data;
anti-theft application;
on-board personal safety applications.

THE ORBCOMM TERMINAL

The terminal, that Telespazio will install in the stern of each boat racing for the Sardinia Cup during the registration and inspection phases, will have the following characteristics:
dimensions 22 x 8.8 x 3.3 cm;
weight approximately 0.72 kg;
equipped with a 50 cm (lambda ¼) antenna;
12-volt power source required;
designed not to create interference with on-board instruments and communication equipment;
data transmitted by the terminal easily accessible through common public and private telecommunications networks, Intranet and Internet;
cost less than 2 million Itl.

Presented by Service & Production AFTER S.r.l.