International Cospas-Sarsat Programme

COSPAS- SARSAT is an international satellite-based search and rescue system for the detection and localization of Notfunkbaken - EPIRB ( Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon ) for ships, ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter ) for aircraft and PLB ( Personal Locator Beacon ) for personal use. The system is based on the technology of the Argos system.

The " International COSPAS- SARSAT Programme Agreement " was established on 1 July 1988 in Paris by the former Soviet Union, the USA, Canada and France. Meanwhile, many other countries have joined the program, and from 1982 to 2006 were determined by the COSPAS- SARSAT system total 22031 people rescued in 6197 SAR missions.

The Russian abbreviation stands for COSPAS kosmitscheskaja sistema poiska avariynich sudow ( Space System for the Search for vessels in distress ); the abbreviation means SARSAT search and rescue satellite- aided tracking ( satellite tracking system for search and rescue service).

Components of the COSPAS -SARSAT

The COSPAS- SARSAT system consists of five COSPAS SARSAT satellites and five, with the COSPAS no longer work (Low Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue, LEOSAR satellites ) and five geostationary satellites ( Geostationary Search and Rescue, GEOSAR ). All these satellites receive signals on the international digital Notfunkfrequenz 406 MHz. The signals are routed at the earliest opportunity to a ground station ( LUT Local User Terminal). Currently there are LUTs at 46 locations ( LEOLUT ) or 19 locations ( GEOLUT ) active worldwide (as of December 15, 2012 ). From the ground station the data on a Mission Control Center (MCC ) to the regionally responsible SPOC (SAR point of contact) and further to the appropriate Rescue Coordination Center (RCC, RCC ) are conducted. In Germany, the SPOC and guidance RCC are the SAR control center for the Air Force in Münster. This delegates the processing of search cases on to the Bremen Rescue the GMRS for civil navigation. For commercial aviation and the military field, the SAR control station of the Bundeswehr in Münster 's responsibility. The RCC in Glücksburg is responsible for the military marine and coastal area.

The polar orbiting satellites of LEOSAR system orbits the Earth in about 100 minutes on a over the equator to 83 ° ( COSPAS ) or 99 ° ( SARSAT ) inclined path, so that a given point on the earth's surface by at least four hours from one of the satellite is detected. If GPS position is included in the received emergency signal, a LUT using the natural motion of the satellites with respect to the signal source, and the resulting change in frequency due to the Doppler effect, and the knowledge of the position of the satellite relative to the earth, while the apprehension, and overflight and of the loss of signal, determine the approximate position of the signal source with an accuracy of about 1-3 miles.

About the geostationary satellites of GEOSAR system can be determined by the Doppler effect due to lack of proper motion with respect to the sending emergency radio beacons is not the position. Their advantage is that they are constantly large parts of the earth's surface in view have ( cover ranging between 80 ° North and 80 ° South ) and, accordingly, quickly received distress signals and pass can. Send Digital radiating at 406 MHz devices emit a special code with which the owners are directly identifiable by data register.

To support older Notfunkbaken the satellites of the COSPAS- SARSAT system also received signals on the analog Notfunkfrequenzen 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz. Due to numerous disadvantages of these frequencies this support was discontinued on 1 February 2009.

History

The SARSAT system were developed in the 1970s in a joint initiative of the United States, Canada and France to provide a safe alternative to common until then, but afflicted with many disadvantages alerting on the Flugnotfrequenz 121.5 MHz. In parallel, the COSPAS- system was developed in the former Soviet Union.

In the years 1979-1988, during the Cold War, the two systems were merged gradually to COSPAS- SARSAT: 1982 launched the first joint satellite, in 1984, the procedure was declared fully operational, and in 1988 the merger of the two systems was officially sealed. The COSPAS- part of the system was taken over after the collapse of the Soviet Union of Russia, while in the U.S. the responsibility for the SARSAT part now available from NASA to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA) has passed.

Meanwhile the program are many more countries joined (Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Vietnam, USA, participating organizations, The Marine Department of Hong Kong, China).