ISS Can Now Watch Sea Traffic From Space

gyrogeerloose writes "During its last mission, astronauts from the Space Shuttle Atlantis installed an Automatic Identification System antenna on the outside of the International Space Station that will allow astronauts aboard the ISS to monitor signals from the AIS transmitters mandated to be installed on most large ocean-going craft. Although these VHF signals can be monitored from the Earth's surface, their horizontal range is generally limited to about 75 km (46 mi), leaving large areas of the ocean unwatched. However, the signals easily reach the 400 km (250 mi) orbit of the ISS. The European Space Agency sees this experiment as a test platform for a future AIS-monitoring fleet of satellites that will eventually provide worldwide coverage of sea traffic."

Comments

Crap

[Dyinobal]

How long before I get pulled over for speeding in the trade lanes?

Re:Crap

[Anonymous Coward]

"Speed Limit Enforced By Spacecraft."

I can't wait to see the icon on the sign. ... not to mention the defense attorneys going for the relativistic measurement argument. "Your Honor, we would like to question the prosecution's derivation of gamma."

Tracking coastal AIS vessels

[Snowblindeye]

There are several websites that show at least coastal traffic of all AIS equipped vessels. I like http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/

Coverage map

[Animats]

Here's the map of existing coverage. The continental US, Europe, and Japan, have full coastal coverage. The port coasts of China and Australia are covered. Beyond that, not so much.

This isn't a safety system. It's for traffic and port management. Vessels show up in the system around the time when ports need to start thinking about where to put them.

Re:Get to the point.

[Sheen]

When your kids, in their rubber big sea going rubber toy rafts, see pirates / pedophiles, they can press the dolphin button, and get directly connected to an officer with the coast guard.