Chinese Long March Rocket Lofts Maritime Satellite

摘要

A maritime-surveillance satellite launched Jan. 9 aboard a Chinese Long March 4B rocket is healthy in orbit and sending signals as it prepares for service with satellite-messaging company Orb-comm, OHB AG of Germany announced Jan. 10. Bremen-based OHB is the parent company of Luxembourg-based LuxSpace, which built the 28-kilogram VesselSat 2 satellite. An identical VesselSat 1 was launched in October as a secondary passenger aboard an Indian PSLV rocket. Both VesselSat satellites were built for Fort Lee, NJ.-based Orbcomm in partial compensation for six Orbcomm satellites that were built in Russia under OHB supervision and failed in orbit following launch in 2008.