MARECS
| Country/ies of origin | United Kingdom (UK) |
|---|---|
| Operator | Inmarsat (MARECS-B licensed to Nuovo Telespazio) |
| Type | Navigation Satellite |
| Status | Decommissioned |
| Coverage | Global |
| Constellation size | |
| First launch | 20th December 1981 |
| Last launch | 10th November 1984 |
| Total launches | 3 (1 launch failure - MARECS-B) |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Orbital height | geosynchronous orbit |
| Website | https://www.inmarsat.com/en/index.html |
MARECS was a version of the European Space Agency's ECS communications satellite, adapted for maritime communications. It was used by Inmarsat.
MARECS A was launched in 1981 and placed over the Atlantic Ocean. It was deactivated in August 1996.
MARECS B was lost due to launch problems in 1982, while MARECS B2 (also known as MARECS C) was launched in 1984 and placed over the Pacific Ocean. MARECS B2/C was active until 2002.[1][2]
They were among Europe's first telecommunications satellites.