AIS/VDES Satellites
Nowadays, data is capital information for the safety of all of us. Having the ability to look at vessels from space gives us the ability to foresee, anticipate, and correct complex situations. Currently, many satellite constellations provide AIS coverage around the globe and it is foreseen more constellations. Nevertheless, the AIS has suffered from a constant overload of communication, especially near large ports with higher ship density. To alleviate the data strain on the AIS and avoid the saturation of the communication channel, the international maritime community has planned to use the Very High-Frequency Data Exchange System (VDES). This radio communication standard maintains the AIS functions while adding the capacity for larger data exchange. VDES establishes dedicated frequencies for bidirectional communication between ships and coasts, allowing the current AIS channel to be maintained intact. With this, VDES aims to reduce the data load on the AIS while adding additional capabilities to the maritime communication network.
LusoSpace is proud to lead the way in next-generation maritime communications with the development of a satellite constellation powered by VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) technology. This ambitious project of 12 satellites aims to transform maritime connectivity by offering higher bandwidth than current AIS applications, improved data integrity, and a promising future for maritime communications and safety.
The first satellite of this constellation, PoSat-2, has been successfully launched and is already in orbit since early 2025. It carries a last generation VHF radio capable of encoding and decoding both AIS and VDES messages, as well as an extendible VHF antenna.
The remaining satellites are currently under development and will include a propulsion system for optimized orbital positioning and extended mission lifetime. The VHF radio will match the high-performance capabilities of PoSat-2, and the antennas are being developed in-house by LusoSpace.
The launch of the next satellites is scheduled to begin in October 2025, with the full constellation expected to be deployed by early 2026.