ESAIL maritime satellite has been launched

After a final delay due to the Covid pandemic and to bad weather conditions, the ESAIL satellite has just been launched!

ESAIL is a microsatellite performing real-time AIS (Automatic Identification System) ship tracking. It will be operated by exactEarth. It has been developed in cooperation with ESA.

It has a mass of 110 kg and features an enhanced multiple antenna-receiver configuration for global detection of AIS messages emitted by ships and high-resolution spectrum capture, which will enable the demonstration of advanced future services such as VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) message reception.

DELTATEC has developed two qualified units for its customer LuxSpace: the on-board computer and the payload data handling unit. DELTATEC developed a ‘from scratch’ design around the Gaisler GR712 Leon 3FT processor assisted by a radiation tolerant FPGA from Microsemi. The memory unit embeds NAND Flash memories protected by ECC algorithms and AES encryption. The boards are connected to the platform thanks to a fully ESA qualified (class B) CAN Open protocol developed by the DELTATEC’s software team in a very constrained schedule.

The ESAIL satellite is mounted on Arianespace’s new launch adapter for Small Satellite Mission Service. ESAIL has been delivered into a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 510 km on the first Vega Small Spacecraft Mission Service (SSMS) rideshare flight. No less than 53 satellites have been put into orbit in a single launch.

Replay Vega's liftoff with 53 satellites - Access the video 

More info about this launch? https://www.arianespace.com/mission/vega-flight-vv16/.