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

Following the positive experience of 1998 Sardinia Cup, Telespazio has equipped the racing boats of 1999 Rolex Cup with Orbcomm satellite system terminals, in order to constantly end automatically track each vessel position.

The satellite equipment, that has been installed on the boats are linked to a constellation of 26 satellites circling the earth in low orbit (i.e. around 800 Km from earth) and serve the Orbcomm mobile communication system.

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

During the off-shore races it will be possible to follow in real time the race phases on the big screen in the Telespazio boot.

THE ORBCOMM SYSTEM

The activity of the Orbcomm mobile communication system is based on 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.

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.