May 1 1982
From The Space Library
The first Maritime European Communications Satellite, Marecs A, launched December 20, 1981, began service at midnight. The spacecraft and its payload, leased to the International Maritime Communications Satellite (INMARSAT), was working well and already improving communications between land and ships and oil rigs in the Atlantic.
The Marecs program would lease two satellites to INMARSAT: Marecs A would cover the Atlantic ocean; Marecs B, the Pacific. Launch of Marecs B on an Ariane L5 had been put off to September 1982 to allow time for modifications reducing the effects of electrostatic discharge that had caused the Marecs A command system to malfunction during tests in February. (ESA Info 15)
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