MR 109–( ) OPERATION MANUAL
T01008-MRR-0000
/
Issue:
a
Page
8
5. COSPAS-SARSAT
SYSTEM.
For the latest information on the status of the Cospas-Sarsat System, please see
www.cospas-
sasrat.org
5.1.
Cospas-Sarsat system (http://www.cospas-sarsat.org)
Cospas-Sarsat is a satellite system designed to provide distress alert and location data to assist
search and rescue (SAR) operations, using spacecraft and ground facilities to detect and locate the
signals of distress beacons operating on 406 Megahertz (MHz) or 121.5 MHz. The position of distress
and other related information is forwarded to the appropriate Search and Rescue Point of Contact
(SPOC) through the Cospas-Sarsat Mission Control Center (MCC) network. The goal of the System is
to support all organizations in the world with responsibility for SAR operations, whether at sea, land or
in the air.
The Cospas-Sarsat System provides distress alert and location data to Rescue Coordination Centers
(RCCs), for 121.5 MHz beacons within the coverage area of Cospas-Sarsat ground stations (Local
User Terminals - LUTs), and for 406 MHz beacons activated anywhere in the world. A brief descrip-
tion of the concept of operation is provided here. A more detailed description of the Cospas-Sarsat
System is provided in the System document entitled "Introduction to the Cospas-Sarsat System, C/S
G.003", which is available for downloading from Cospas-Sarsat web site
http://www.cospas-
sarsat.org
.
5.2. System
Concept
(http://www.cospas-sarsat.org)
The System is composed of:
•
distress radio beacons (ELTs for aviation use, EPIRBs for maritime use, and PLBs for per-
sonal use) which transmit signals during distress situations;
•
instruments on board satellites in geostationary and low-altitude Earth orbits which detect the
signals transmitted by distress radio beacons;
•
ground receiving stations, referred to as Local Users Terminals (LUTs), which receive and
process the satellite downlink signal to generate distress alerts; and
•
Mission Control Centers (MCCs) which receive alerts produced by LUTs and forward them to
Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs), Search and Rescue Points Of Contacts (SPOCs) or
other MCCs.
Image provided courtesy of Cospas-Sarsat
The basic Cospas-Sarsat concept is illustrated in the figure above.
