1. Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking System
S A R S A T

2. In short: Cospas-Sarsat takes the “search” out of Search and Rescue
How SARSAT works
Cospas-Sarsat provides, free-of-charge, distress alert and location information to search and rescue authorities anywhere in the world for maritime, aviation and land users in distress.
In short: Cospas-Sarsat takes the “search” out of Search and Rescue

3. Cospas-Sarsat
COSPAS Космическая система для поиска аварийных судов or COsmicheskaya Systyema dlya Poiska Aariynyich Sudov (Russian) which translates loosely into
“Space System for the Search of Vessels in Distress”
SARSAT Search And Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking
(Canada, France, USA)
This international system was developed at the height of the cold war as an humanitarian system to save lives regardless of nationalities. This system is provided by the contributing governments free of charge. The only cost is a one time cost for the purchase of the beacons unlike some of the commercial system which usually have a combination of beacon cost as well as a subscription fee.
42 countries and 2 organizations
Cooperates with International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

4. SARSAT Program Steering Group Roles
Inland SAR
Maritime SAR
Research & Development
System Operation
Air Combat Command (ACC)
Search and Rescue Office
Search and Rescue Laboratory
Representative to International Cospas-Sarsat Program

5. Background / History 1950s First satellites launched
Doppler technology developed
1960s Emergency 121/243 MHz beacons first used by military
year old girl dies after two months waiting for rescue
Congress mandates carriage of ELT on general aviation aircraft
1972 Congressmen Boggs and Begich lost in Alaska plane crash
1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

6. Background / History
1976 Canada, France and USA begin development of SARSAT program
1979 MOU signed between Canada, France, USA and former USSR
1982 Launch of Cospas-1
First Save
1983 Launch of SARSAT-1
1985 COSPAS-SARSAT declared operational
1988 International Cospas-Sarsat Program Agreement signed by Canada, France, USA and the former USSR
1992 Russia assumes responsibilities for the former USSR

7. Background / History
1998 Geostationary space segment becomes operational
1998 Cospas-Sarsat announces termination of 121/243 MHz service starting in 2009
U.S. passes 5000 rescues
Termination of and 243 MHz processing by space segment
MEOSAR becomes operational for USMCC and France

8. User Segment Activation: Manual Automatic (Hydrostatic/G-Switch)
Signal:
406 MHz (Digital)
121.5 MHz (Analog) Homing
Applications:
Maritime - Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)
Aviation - Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)
Personal/Land - Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)
Security – Ship Security Alerting System (SSAS)
* Most U.S. general aviation ELTs are still MHz which are no longer monitored by Cospas-Sarsat

9. User Segment
More than 515,000 total beacons in the NOAA Registration Database as of January 1, 2017
93,501 ELTs
223,900 EPIRBs
199,020 PLBs
263 SSAS
As of January 1, 2017 an additional 125,480 DoD 406 MHz beacons are registered in JSETS
Estimated worldwide population in 2018 approximately 2,040,000

10. 406 MHz Beacon Registration
Register online at

11. Space Segment 3 Primary Types of Satellites:
Low Earth Orbiting Search And Rescue (LEOSAR)- 5 on Orbit
Altitude: ≈ 850km in “Pole-Pole” orbit
Performs Doppler locating function (primary means of locating…not GPS)
Local mode requires mutual visibility between beacon, satellite, and LUT
Global Mode continuously stores & forwards alerts providing worldwide coverage and total system redundancy
Geostationary Orbiting Search And Rescue (GEOSAR)- 10 on Orbit
Altitude: ≈ 36,000km in fixed orbit
Performs instantaneous alerting function. No locating capability unless beacon is equipped with GPS.
Coverage from 70N – 70S
Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (MEOSAR)- 30 on Orbit
Altitude: ≈ 20,200 km on GPS constellation
Performs instantaneous alerting and accurate beacon location.
Each satellite circles the Earth twice a day.
Global coverage
LEO at 850 km
GEO at 36,000 km
The USA meteorological satellites are placed in sun-synchronous, near-polar orbits at about 850 km altitude, and equipped with SAR instrumentation at 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz supplied by Canada and France.
Each satellite makes a complete orbit of the earth around the poles in about 100 minutes, traveling at a velocity of 7 km per second. The satellite views a "swath" of the earth of approximately 6000 km wide as it circles the globe, giving an instantaneous "field of view" about the size of a continent. When viewed from the earth, the satellite crosses the sky in about 15 minutes, depending on the maximum elevation angle of the particular pass.

12. MEOSAR Space Segment

13. Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT)
U.S. Ground System
Alaska
NOAA FCDA
2 LEOLUTs
Maryland*
NOAA NSOF
California
Vandenburg AFB
Guam
Andersen AFB
2 LEOLUTs
*Maryland has 3 GEOLUTs
&
1 LEOLUT
US Mission Control
Center
Hawaii
Miami
USCG COMMSTA Honolulu
2 LEOLUTs
6 antenna MEOLUT
USCG COMMSTA Miami
2 LEOLUTs
6 antenna MEOLUT

14. Cospas-Sarsat Rescues
Number rescued world-wide since 1982: over 41,000
Number rescued in United States since 1982: over 8,000
307 Rescues in the U.S.
During Calendar Year 2016
CY 2016 – 307 Rescues in 132 Incidents
Rescues at sea:   205 people rescued in 56 incidents
Aviation rescues:   22 people rescued in 14 incidents
Terrestrial rescues: 80 people rescued in 62 incidents

15. SARSAT Benefits Benefits of SARSAT: Shorter searches Economic benefits
“Golden Hour”, shorter response increase the likelihood of survival
Reduces risks to search teams
Reduces response costs
Economic benefits
Creates jobs - 9 US Beacon manufacturers
Contributes to the economy - manufacturers produce thousands of distress beacons per year at a cost of ~$200-$3,000 per beacon
SARSAT Lives Saved
saves (128 at sea in 46 incidents, 21 aviation in 11 incidents, and 91 terrestrial in 65 incidents)
saves (112 at sea in 31 incidents, 15 aviation in 7 incidents, 113 terrestrial in 72 incidents)
2014 Cost Benefit Analysis
Total benefit lives and property (value of a statistical life of $9.2 million Department of Transportation (DOT) June 13, 2014)
$1,263,477,920
Total costs of federal rescue operations and SARSAT operation
$36,524,649
Net Benefit $1,226,953,271
Cost benefit ration 33.6 to 1.0
October 22, 2010, Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland rescued via SARSAT
January 30, 2015, Crew of the Rain Maker with USCG Rescuers
May 22, 2015, USCG rescued two crew of sailing vessel Boxer