COSPAS/SARSAT 25th Anniversary
Satellite Lifesaving Technology Continues to Have Global Impact
Oct 20, 2007
Safety minded skippers know it's wise to carry an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) that takes advantage of the international COSPAS/SARSAT search and rescue satellite system. Speaking at a press conference held in the Suitland, Maryland SARSAT Mission Control Center, officials from lead agencies involved in the program described the benefits it has had for the nation. Since its founding in 1982, the system has effected 22,000 rescues worldwide, with 6,000 of these occurring within the United States.
A COSPAS/SARSAT Rescue - During the press conference, NOAA contract fisheries observer Meghan Miner detailed her rescue from a sinking fishing vessel thanks to COSPAS/SARSAT. The fishing vessel she was aboard foundered forty miles from Nantucket Island on September 28, 2007.
Miner and five vessel crewmembers had boarded a life raft after the sinking. Meghan says of the experience, “Before the boat went down, I activated my personal locator beacon. It was getting dark, and it was raining, but we began seeing lights from other boats and we fired off flares. Within 45 minutes one of the boats was along side us.” A Coast Guard helicopter picked up the homing signal coming from Meghan's Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) and was able to direct a rescue boat to their raft.
A Brief Overview of the System - COSPAS/SARSAT is a pair of acronyms reflecting the international nature of the satellite search and rescue system. COSPAS stems from the Russian Space System for the Search of Vessels in Distress or Cosmicheskaya Sistyema Poiska Avariynich Sudov. SARSAT stands for Search And Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking. Activated EPIRBs and PLTs transmit a beacon radio signal on 406 and 121.5 MHz. COSPAS/SARSAT satellites and aircraft up to 100 nautical miles from the source can detect the 406 MHz signal. Signals broadcast by the beacons on the 121.5 MHz frequency are used to home in on targets in the water located within fifteen nautical miles of the receiver.
A Cooperative Effort - Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts in the United States are shared by lead agencies, the Air Force is responsible for land-based rescues and the Coast Guard handles those on the water. NOAA assists in the effort through its global network of polar and geostationary satellites that detect and relay emergency signals to the SARSAT Mission Control System.
NOAA Administrator Retired Navy Admiral Conrad C Lautenbacher states, “For 25 years, the SARSAT program has done what it was intended to do - save lives. Just like with Meghan, the success of SARSAT lies in the people who are saved, and that’s a direct result of this interagency and international partnership.”
A Shift to 406 MHz Frequency EPIRBs - Officials during the anniversary press conference were quick to mention the phase out of older radio beacons operating only on the 121.5 and 243 MHz frequencies. The 406 MHz EPIRB is the new standard for emergency beacons and the phase out will be complete by February 1, 2009. 406 MHz EPIRBs transmit a digital signal that allows the position of a stricken vessel or person in the water to be relayed to rescuers more quickly, and with better accuracy. The newer equipment transmits unique identification information on the owner or vessel the beacon is registered to with NOAA.
 |
 |
 |
 |
