S A R S A T

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Search Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking
S A R S A T
SARSAT
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What is Cospas-Sarsat???
COSPAS Cosmicheskaya Systyema Poiska Aariynyich
Sudov Which loosely translates into The
Space System for the Search of Vessels in
Distress SARSAT Search And Rescue Satellite
Aided Tracking
In short, Cospas-Sarsat takes the search out of
Search Rescue
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• Rescues In 2001
• 1,545 persons rescued in 365 SAR events
• - 1341 maritime rescues in 239 SAR events
• - 83 aviation rescues in 47 SAR events
• - 121 land rescues in 79 SAR events
• Since 1982 over 14,000 lives rescued via
  Cospas-Sarsat! Nearly 5,000 in U.S. AORs
  alone!

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Rescues in 2001
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• Emergency Beacons
• Two types 121.5/243 MHz and 406 MHz
• Three applications
• - Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacons
  (EPIRB)
• - Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT)
• - Personal Locator Beacons (PLB)

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• 121.5 MHz Beacons
• Older technology
• Not designed for satellite processing (no store
  forward capability)
• Analog signal only no identification code
• Does not have global coverage!
• Low power ( lt 1 watt)
• Less rigid standards
• Poor location accuracy Usually no better than
  12 miles
• USMCC handles 400-600 hits per day. 99.5 are
  false!!

Will Not Be Detected by Satellites After
February 1, 2009!
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• 243 MHz Beacons
• Similar to 121.5 MHz beacons
• Primarily used by the military
• Many existing 121.5 MHz also transmit on 243 MHz
• Will Not Be Detected by Satellites After February
  1, 2009!

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• 406 MHz Beacons
• Newer technology
• Designed for satellite processing (store
  forward)
• Global coverage
• Digital signal
• Increased power (5 watt)
• Unique Identification
• Rigid specifications
• More Accurate 2 - 3 mile location accuracy.
• Even better with integral GPS units 100 meter
  accuracy!

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• Beacons with Navigation Input
• Improved accuracy
• Instantaneous detection

406 MHz with GPS
406 MHz
121.5 MHz
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• Space Segment
• Two types of satellites
• Low-Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue (LEOSAR)
• Geostationary Orbiting Search and Rescue (GEOSAR)

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Space Segment

• 2 Types of Satellites
• Low Earth Orbiting Search And Rescue (LEOSAR)
• (8) Satellites in Orbit
• - COSPAS 4, 9, 10
• - SARSAT 4, 6, 7, 8, 9
• Geostationary Orbiting Search And Rescue (GEOSAR)
• (4) Satellites in Orbit
• - GOES 8, 10
• - INSAT 2B
• - MSG (recently launched undergoing testing)

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Satellite
406 MHz beacon detections can be stored on board
the satellite and re-broadcast later
LUT
121.5/243 MHz Beacon
Detection of a 121.5/243 MHz beacon requires
mutual visibility between beacon, satellite and
ground station (LUT)
Satellite
LUT
406 MHz Beacon
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Local Mode (Bent Pipe) Operations
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Global Mode (Store Forward) Operations
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Typical Satellite Footprint
GEO Footprint
LEO Footprint
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Typical 121.5/243 MHz Coverage Holes
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• LEOSAR Local User Terminals
• (LEOLUT)
• Track COSPAS and SARSAT satellites
• Recover beacon signals
• Perform error checking
• Perform Doppler processing
• Send alert to Mission Control Center

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California
United States LEOLUTs
Guam
Maryland
(Deployable LUT)
Texas
Puerto Rico
Hawaii
Alaska
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LEOSAR Local User Terminals (LEOLUT) 41
Locations Worldwide
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• GEOSAR Local User Terminals (GEOLUT)
• Track GOES and INSAT satellites
• Recover beacon signals
• Perform error checking
• Send alert to Mission Control Center

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GEOSAR Local User Terminals (GEOLUT) 8 Locations
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Mission Control Centers (MCCs)

• Receive alerts from national LUTs and foreign
  MCCs
• Validate, match and merge alerts to improve
  location accuracy and determine the correct
  destination
• Geographically sort and then transmit alerts to
  appropriate Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs)
  and SAR Points of Contact (SPOC).
• Filter redundant data
• Perform System support and monitoring functions

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Mission Control Centers (MCC) 25 Locations
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Nodal Network
CMCC
CHMCC
PEMCC
BRMCC
NMCC
KOMCC
USMCC
UKMCC
HKMCC
JAMCC
FMCC
ITMCC
TAMCC
SPMCC
CNMCC
AUMCC
CMC
ALMCC
SIMCC
IDMCC
SAMCC
ZAMCC
PAMCC
INMCC
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Spacecraft Telemetry Ephemeris Data
Communication Sites
23 MCCs
14 LUTs
USMCC
14 RCCs
7 SPOCs
Special Programs
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The United States Mission Control
Center Suitland, MD
Activity

• Handle 250-400 121.5/243 alerts/day
• Handle 10-15 406 MHz alerts/day
• Transmit 1200 messages/day
• Schedule and ingest data from
• 500 satellite passes/day

• Register 40 new beacons/day
• Update 60 beacon registrations/day
• Confirm 300 beacon registrations/week
• Enter 35 incident feedback reports/day

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United States Rescue Coordination Centers their
Areas of Responsibility (AORs)
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United States Cospas-Sarsat Program
Administration
Inland SAR
Maritime SAR
Research Development
System Operation
Representative to Cospas-Sarsat Program
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National Administration
SARSAT Lead, Satellite
Services (NOAA)
DOC
DOI
SAR Services (Natl Park Service)
SAR Lead/Facilities (USAF DPMO)
Research and Development
NASA
DOD
SAR Lead/Regs USCG FAA
Regulations for Radio Facilities Frequency
Issues
FCC
DOT
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NOAA SARSAT Administration
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)
National Satellite Service (NESDIS)
OSDPD Direct Services Division
SARSAT Program Office
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• International Organization
• Initially developed under interagency Memorandum
  of Agreement signed in 1979
• International Cospas-Sarsat Programme Agreement
  signed on July 1, 1988 among the governments of
  Canada, France, the former U.S.S.R and the United
  States
• Association with Programme allows States to
  contribute towards the ground segment or
  participate in international Cospas-Sarsat
  meetings
• Goals of Cospas-Sarsat are to support SAR
  objectives of ICAO and IMO

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Member Nations
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Member Nations
Algeria Argentina Australia Brazil C
anada Chile China (P.R. of) Denmark
France Germany Greece India Indonesia It
aly Japan Korea (Rep. of) Madagascar Netherla
nds (The) New Zealand Nigeria Norway Pakista
n Peru Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore South
Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Tu
nisia United Kingdom Vietnam USA
Participating Organizations
The International Telecommunication Development
Corporation (ITDC) The Marine Department of Hong
Kong, China
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Cospas-Sarsat Council
Program Management
Cospas-Sarsat Secretariat
Administrative Organ
Joint Committee
System Operation
Operational Working Group
Technical Working Group
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International Maritime Organization UN
specialized agency responsible for improving
maritime safety (Mandates use of emergency
beacons)
International Civil Aviation Organization UN
specialized agency responsible for aviation
matters and improving civil aviation safety
(Mandates use of 406 MHz beacons)
International Telecommunications Union UN
specialized agency responsible for coordinating
global telecommunications (406 MHz beacon
specifications)
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406 MHz Carriage Requirements

• ICAO Convention Aircraft
• New aircraft that fall under the ICAO convention
  should carry 406 MHz ELTs by 2002
• All aircraft that fall under the ICAO convention
  should carry 406 MHz ELTs by 2005

• IMO - SOLAS Class Vessels
• All vessels 300 gross tons or greater
• Vessels engaged in transporting 6 or more
  persons
• In the U.S. all Commerical Fishing Vessels

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Phase-Out of 121.5/243 MHz Satellite Alerting

• 121.5 MHz BEACON USAGE
• International Termination of 121.5 MHz
  Satellite Alerting on
• 01 February 2009!
• U.S. Termination of 121.5 MHz EPIRBs 3
  Phases
• Certification of new 121.5 EPIRBs cease
  immediately
• Sales and manufacture of 121.5 MHz EPIRBs cease
  on 01 February, 2003
• Operation/Use of 121.5 MHz EPIRBs becomes
  illegal on 31 December, 2006
• 121.5 MHz ELTs will still be in use and
  required on general aviation aircraft

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• New Users
• Non-mandated users (recreational)
• Military
• Other Government Agencies (NASA, Forest Service,
  etc.

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Tour of the U.S.M.C.C.
www.sarsat.noaa.gov