MARECS

{{Short description|Version of European Space Agency communication satellite}}

{{Infobox navigation satellite system

|

|name=Inmarsat MARECS series|country=United Kingdom (UK)|operator=Inmarsat (MARECS-B licensed to Nuovo Telespazio)

|type=Navigation Satellite|status=Decommissioned|coverage=Global

|first_launch=20th December 1981

|last_launch=10th November 1984

|launch_total=3 (1 launch failure - MARECS-B)

|orbit_height=geosynchronous orbit

|website=https://www.inmarsat.com/en/index.html

|image_caption=The Inmarsat MARECS-A Satellite. Launched 20 December 1981

|image=

}}

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.{{Citation |last=Tandberg |first=Erik |title=Marecs |date=2023-01-23 |url=https://snl.no/Marecs |work=Store norske leksikon |access-date=2023-03-14 |language=no |last2=Hammerstrøm |first2=Maria}}{{Cite web |title=Marecs |url=https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2005/01/Marecs/(lang) |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=www.esa.int |language=en}}

They were among Europe's first telecommunications satellites.