Vesconite Bearings is proud to be associated with an exciting communication satellite launch that took place in September 2022.
The company supplied marine bearings to a vessel that has historically transported launcher components, including communications satellites, for various heavy-lift space launch vehicles.
Vesconite Bearings marine applications engineer Monique Potgieter explains that, when the MN Colibri charter ship was undergoing planned inspection, it was found that the upper and lower flap bearings needed to be replaced on the flap type rudders.
The bearing supplier was then approached by a company that focuses on rudder new builds and servicing to supply the bushing.
Vesconite Bearings had the right size bushing material in stock at its Netherlands warehouse, and was able to quickly deliver the stock to Hamburg, Germany, for further machining and installation.
Material for two bushings, measuring 170 (outside diameter (OD)) x 150 (inside diameter (ID)) x 157 mm (length (L)) and 180 (OD) x 150 (ID) x 190 mm (L), were ordered at 5pm on June 27 2022, despatched just after noon on June 28, and delivered to the dry dock machine shop that did the final machining shortly after 1pm on June 29.
The repairs, which were necessary for the MN Colibri to continue its work as a charter vessel, allowed it to subsequently deliver the Eutelsat Konnect VHTS to Pariacabo Harbour in French Guiana.
A truck with the Eutelsat then left the MN Colibri destined for the Kourou-based Guiana Space Centre, the main spaceport of France and the European Space Agency.
Eutelsat Konnect VHTS has since been successfully launched by an Ariane rocket and will deliver high-speed broadband and mobile connectivity throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
“Vesconite Bearings is pleased to have contributed to this momentous project in a small way,” says Potgieter of the project that plans to supply European users with 100 Mbps broadband as well as to eliminate broadband black spots.
“Our marine bearings are used in many intriguing shipping projects that contribute to the technological advancement of our world,” she notes.
Source: Hellenic Shipping News
