Orbital Imaging Corporation, the Earth-imaging subsidiary of Orbital Sciences Corporation, today announced the inauguration of its SeaStar Fisheries Information Service, which offers daily Fish Finding Maps, derived from satellite images of the world's oceans, to high-seas fishing fleets and to other fishing organizations. ORBIMAGE is currently a trial demonstration of its unique service, with full commercial operations set to begin on January 15, 1998.
ORBIMAGE's SeaStar Fisheries Information Service is the first of its kind
in the world. It uses imagery gathered from ORBIMAGE's OrbView-2 satellite to
create Fish Finding Maps that display the ocean's changing surface color.
These subtle variations in ocean color, stretching for hundreds of miles,
indicate the boundary between phytoplankton-rich water and deep, clear-water
areas where surface dwelling fish such as tuna, mackerel, and swordfish
normally feed. Using the daily Fish Finding Map, a fishing vessel's search
time for productive fishing areas is minimized, thereby reducing fleet costs
and improving operating efficiency.
Currently, a fleet of 50 fishing vessels are receiving SeaStar Fish
Finding Maps. Each day, by 6:00 a.m. local time, the Fish Finding Maps are
transmitted directly to the fishing vessels' on-board personal computers via
the INMARSAT global satellite communications network. Using display software
provided by ORBIMAGE, the fishing vessel captain is provided with the most up-
to-date imagery of the Atlantic, Pacific or Indian Oceans. In addition,
ORBIMAGE's oceanographers provide recommendations for the most productive
fishing areas. The maps are also available via facsimile transmission or over the Internet at http://www.orbimage.com.
The OrbView-2 satellite was launched aboard Orbital's Pegasus(R) rocket on
August 1, 1997. Since it was placed into service in mid-August, the
spacecraft has performed a virtually flawless mission. It is providing never-
before-seen color images of the Earth's ocean and land surfaces using the on-
board Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor. These images not only have
commercial applications, but are being used by scientific researchers around
the world to study global warming and the Earth's biosphere.
ORBIMAGE is leading Orbital's entry into the expanding market for
satellite-based Earth imaging services. ORBIMAGE will employ a uniquely
integrated global system of imaging satellites, ground stations and Internet-
based sales channels to collect, process and distribute its imagery products.
During the next several years, ORBIMAGE plans to operate a fleet of four
satellites. ORBIMAGE currently operates OrbView-1, a commercial atmospheric
monitoring satellite launched in 1995, and OrbView-2. Initial phases of
construction for OrbView-3A, the third in ORBIMAGE's satellite family, have
already begun, with an expected in-service date of approximately two years
from now. OrbView-3A is designed to provide high-quality one-meter resolution
and hyperspectral digital images of the Earth's land surfaces. OrbView-3B is
another planned high-resolution digital imaging satellite with an in-service
date yet to be determined.
