Real-time AIS tracking from space expands opportunities for global ocean observing and maritime domain awareness

Abstract

Satellite Automatic Identification System (AIS) technology has fundamentally changed the landscape for monitoring the maritime domain. Improving upon existing AIS technology already deployed aboard all large vessels and many smaller vessels around the globe, satellite AIS is truly revolutionary in providing a complete and global picture of the world's maritime shipping environment. To date, the exactView™ satellite constellation from exactEarth has shown that global coverage is possible with a variety of orbital regimes; but to provide a real-time view of the maritime domain, dramatic changes in a satellite AIS constellation are necessary. To address key changes in the AIS constellation architecture, exactEarth and HARRIS have partnered to provide real-time global maritime tracking and information solutions. This paper examines the elements and architectures required to bring about these changes t o provide a robust, real-time global view of the maritime domain in general, and AIS specifically. These include continuously improved onboard spectrum de-collision processing, a global and interconnected satellite constellation, and the ability to effectively adjust to and incorporate new and changing VHF maritime services including mandated frequency changes, new Application Specific Messages (ASM) and VHF digital exchange services and security protocols. In addition, this paper discusses performance metrics and a few key capabilities that will be greatly enhanced with this new real-time capability, which can be applied to a number of security, safety, economic and environmental use cases.