C O S PA S - S A R S AT

S Y S T E M O V E RV I E W
STEVEN LETT
H E A D O F S E C R E TA R I AT

THREE TOPICS TO COVER

COSPAS-SARSAT PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM
SYSTEM INNOVATIONS: MEOSAR AND NEXT GENERATION
BEACONS (ELTS)
THE INTERNATIONAL BEACON REGISTRATION DATABASE
WWW.406REGISTRATION.COM

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 2

COSPAS-SARSAT
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES/AGENCIES
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
China (P.R.)
Cyprus
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Italy
ITDC
Japan
Korea (R. of)
Netherlands

New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Pakistan
Peru
Poland
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Singapore
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
UAE
UK
USA
Vietnam

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 3

COSPAS-SARSAT ORGANIZATION
Cospas-Sarsat
Council
Policy-Setting
Carry out the relevant
policies and coordinate the
activities of the
Programme.

Joint
Committee

Cospas-Sarsat
Secretariat
Executive
Administrative
Body

The permanent administrative

organ for the Programme [to] assist
the Council in the implementation
of its functions.

System
Operation

Operations
Working Group

Technical
Working Group

DISTRESS ALERTS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE

FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2014, THE COSPAS-SARSAT SYSTEM PROVIDED
ASSISTANCE IN RESCUING 2,354 PERSONS IN 685 SAR EVENTS
226 PERSONS IN 107 AVIATION INCIDENTS

DISTRESS ALERTS ARE SENT AT NO COST TO

OVER 220 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES
BUT YOU MUST MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE CURRENT AND CORRECT
INFORMATION FOR WHERE TO SEND THEM
VERIFY YOUR INFORMATION AT
WWW.COSPAS-SARSAT.INT/EN/CONTACTS-PRO/CONTACTS-DETAILS-ALL
INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 5

406 MHZ ONLY!

PRESENT LEOSAR/GEOSAR SYSTEM ORBITS

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 7

PRESENT LEOSAR SYSTEM

EXAMPLE MOVING FOOTPRINT TRACK

CRC-MEOSAR-FEB08

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 8

PRESENT LEOSAR SYSTEM

TWO MODES OF OPERATION

CRC-MEOSAR-FEB08

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 9

PRESENT GEOSAR SYSTEM

36,000 KM HIGH: GEOSTATIONARY
SATELLITES RELAY TRANSMISSIONS FROM
BEACONS

GEOLUTS ONLY DETECT ALERTS AND

REPEAT MESSAGE

LARGE, FIXED COVERAGE AREAS

WITH NO RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN
BEACON AND SATELLITE THERE IS NO
DOPPLER EFFECT ON SIGNAL TO USE FOR
DETERMINING LOCATION

Geostationary Orbit
36,000 km

LOCATION IS AVAILABLE ONLY IF BEACON

HAS A GNSS RECEIVER CHIP AND
ENCODES THE LOCATION IN THE BEACON
MESSAGE

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 10

TERRAIN OBSTRUCTION LIMITATIONS OF LEO/GEO

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 11

DEVELOPING MEOSAR SYSTEM FLEET

ON THREE NAVIGATION SATELLITE HOSTS
GPS / USA
Galileo / Europe
Glonass / Russia

MEOSAR ORBIT COMPARISON

GEOSAR
MEOSAR

LEOSAR

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 13

MEOSAR: AN IMPROVED SYSTEM CONCEPT

MEOSAR SATELLITE
AT

20,000 KM

LEOSAR SATELLITE
AT

1,000 KM

MEO FOOTPRINT
LARGER THAN LEO

SIMILAR SIZE TO GEO

FOOTPRINT, BUT
SLOWLY MOVING

CONTINUOUS GLOBAL
COVERAGE (INCLUDING
POLES)

EXAMPLE OF COVERAGE OF A SINGLE MEO FOOTPRINT

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 15

MEOSAR SYSTEM CONFIGURATION WITH RLS

GLONASS-K

GPS-III

1544.9 MHz
RHCP

1544.9 MHz
RHCP

GALILEO

1544.1 MHz
LHCP

406 MHz
Distress
Beacon

RLS
Return Link
Service

Galileo
RLSP
Return Link Service Provider

MEOLUT / MCC

Rescue
RCC

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 16

MEOSAR ADVANTAGES

NEAR INSTANTANEOUS DETECTION AND LOCATION DETERMINATION OF 406-MHZ

BEACONS WORLDWIDE
IMPROVED LOCATION ACCURACY
IMPROVED BEACONS AND FEATURES, INCLUDING:
RETURN LINK SERVICE (RLS)

TRIGGERABLE-IN-FLIGHT ELTS

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 17

BEACONS

COSPAS-SARSAT MONITORS ONLY FOR 406-MHZ BEACONS

ONLY 406-MHZ BEACONS TRANSMIT A UNIQUE IDENTIFICATION

FOR COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF REQUIRING MIGRATION OF ALL 121.5-MHZ

BEACONS TO 406-MHZ MODELS, SEE:
HTTPS://WWW.NTIA.DOC.GOV/FILES/NTIA/PUBLICATIONS/NTIA_EX_PARTE_COMMENTS_
IN_WT_DKT_01-289.PDF

OR SEARCH: NTIA 121.5

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 18

FUTURE SECOND GENERATION BEACONS

NEXT GENERATION OF BEACONS CAN BE
OPTIMIZED TO TAKE BEST ADVANTAGE OF THE

MEOSAR SYSTEM
MORE DISTRESS RELATED INFORMATION SENT
TO RCCS
RETURN LINK CAPABILITIES
REDUCED BATTERY CONSUMPTION AND/OR
SMALLER SIZE

EXPANDED HOMING OPTIONS

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 19

TRIGGERABLE-IN-FLIGHT ELTS (T-ELTS)

IMPROVED DISTRESS ALERTING BY AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION PRIOR TO POSSIBLE
DAMAGE OR BLOCKAGE (DEBRIS, SUBMERSION, ETC.) IN A CRASH
ACTIVATION UPON DETECTION OF ABNORMAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS (ON COMMAND
FROM AIRCRAFT AVIONICS) IN ADDITION TO POSSIBLE MANUAL ACTIVATION BY PILOTS
OPTION FOR ACTIVATION BY GROUND COMMAND
CAPABILITY FOR POSITION TO BE REDUNDANTLY DETERMINED USING MEOSAR
CALCULATIONS AND AIRCRAFT GNSS POSITIONS

SPECIFIED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH FUTURE PARAGRAPH 6.18 OF ANNEX 6 OF THE

ICAO CONVENTION (LOCATION OF AN AIRCRAFT IN DISTRESS) AND TO FUTURE
GLOBAL AERONAUTICAL DISTRESS AND SAFETY SYSTEM (GADSS) AUTONOMOUS
DISTRESS TRACKING REQUIREMENTS
INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 20

TRIGGERABLE-IN-FLIGHT (T-ELT) CONCEPT

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 21

ICAO CONVENTION ANNEX 6, NEW PARAGRAPH 6.18

MAIN REQUIREMENTS

ALLOW THE LOCATION OF AN AIRPLANE ACCIDENT SITE WITHIN 6 NAUTICAL MILES

ALLOW THE POSITION OF AN AIRCRAFT IN DISTRESS TO BE DETERMINED AT LEAST
ONCE EVERY MINUTE
ABLE TO OPERATE IN THE EVENT OF AIRCRAFT POWER LOSS
COMMENCE NO MORE THAN 5 SECONDS AFTER DETECTION OF ABNORMAL FLIGHT
CONDITIONS

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 22

BEACON REGISTRATION
THE REGISTRATION OF BEACONS IN A GOVERNMENT DATABASE OR IN THE
COSPAS-SARSAT INTERNATIONAL BEACON REGISTRATION DATABASE SERVES
CRITICAL SEARCH-AND-RESCUE FUNCTIONS WHEN AN ALERT IS RECEIVED:
HELPS SAR AUTHORITIES TO DETERMINE THE AIRCRAFT OR VESSEL IN DISTRESS
PROVIDES BEACON-OWNER CONTACT INFORMATION SO THAT CALLS CAN BE
MADE TO DETERMINE IF BEACON ACTIVATION WAS INADVERTENT
PROVIDES CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ASSOCIATES OF THE BEACON OWNER
WHO MAY BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VESSEL, THE
VOYAGE/FLIGHTPLAN, NUMBER OF PASSENGERS, ETC.
INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 23

THE INTERNATIONAL BEACON REGISTRATION DATABASE (IBRD)

THE IBRD, MANAGED BY THE COSPAS-SARSAT SECRETARIAT, SERVES TWO

IMPORTANT PURPOSES:

IT CAN BE USED AS AN ABSOLUTELY FREE RESOURCE FOR COUNTRIES TO

ALLOW THEIR BEACON OWNERS TO REGISTER BEACONS
IT PROVIDES A CENTRAL REPOSITORY FOR SAR AUTHORITIES TO RETRIEVE
INFORMATION DURING A RESCUE WHEN AN ALERT IS RECEIVED

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 24

REGISTRATION ISSUES

COUNTRY

NATIONAL
BEACON
REGISTER
(24/7)?
[YES OR
NO]

NUMBER OF BEACONS REGISTERED IN

THE NATIONAL BEACON REGISTER
(24/7) (2)

ELTS

EPIRBS

PLBS

TOTAL

SPOC
COUNTRY REGULATIONS
NATIONAL
CONTACTS FOR [YES OR NO] PROVIDED TO COSPASSARSAT SECRETARIAT FOR
BEACON MATTERS
INCLUSION IN DOCUMENT
(CODING,
TOTAL
C/S S.007
REGISTRATION
AND TYPE
APPROVAL)?
[YES OR NO]

Compare NUMBER OF BEACONS REGISTERED

IN

THE

LOW
NUMBER

IRBD

(1)

ELTS

EPIRBS

PLBS

N/A

N/A

ALBANIA

AUSTRIA(3)

1348

BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA

LOW
NUMBER

N/A

BULGARIA

BULK
UPLOADED
BY ADMIN.

154

176

338

CODING METHODS ONLY

BULK
UPLOADED
BY ADMIN.
MISMATCH

Y
PLBS NOT ALLOWED TO
REPLACE ELTS OR EPIRBS

541

310

2199

CROATIA(4)

17

63

080

CYPRUS(3)

23

1300

61

1384

GREECE(3)

379

4312

1053

5744

HUNGARY

11

86

101

N/A

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 25

REGISTRATION ISSUES
COUNTRY

ICELAND(3)

NATIONAL
BEACON
REGISTER
(24/7)?
[YES OR
NO]

NUMBER OF BEACONS REGISTERED IN

THE NATIONAL BEACON REGISTER
(24/7) (2)

ELTS

EPIRBS

PLBS

242

2794

55

IN

THE

TOTAL

3091
BULK
UPLOADED
13367
BY ADMIN.
MISMATCH
LOW
/
NUMBER

IRBD

(1)

ELTS

EPIRBS

PLBS

CODING METHODS ONLY

PLBS ARE ALLOWED EXCEPT
TO REPLACE ELTS AND
EPIRBS

1543

5377

1516

8436

N/A

21

10

32

PLBS ALLOWED ON SMALL

AIRCRAFT (<6 PAX, SINGLE
ENGINE)

190

58

248

CODING METHODS ONLY

106

110

PLBS ARE ALLOWED EXCEPT

TO REPLACE ELTS AND
EPIRBS

163

N/A

15

36

54

N/A

ITALY(3)

2747

8114

2506

FYROM

MONTENEGRO

ROMANIA(5)

71

SERBIA

92

95

SLOVAKIA(6)

163

SLOVENIA

1.

SPOC
COUNTRY REGULATIONS
NATIONAL
CONTACTS FOR [YES OR NO] PROVIDED TO COSPASSARSAT SECRETARIAT FOR
BEACON MATTERS
INCLUSION IN DOCUMENT
(CODING,
TOTAL
C/S S.007
REGISTRATION
AND TYPE
APPROVAL)?
[YES OR NO]

Compare NUMBER OF BEACONS REGISTERED

BULK
UPLOADED
BY ADMIN.
BULK
UPLOADED
BY ADMIN.

IBRD BEACON POPULATION UPDATED ON 3 FEBRUARY 2016;

2. NATIONAL REGISTRY BEACON POPULATION TAKEN FROM R.007 - ISSUE 2015;
3. LAST UPDATED DECEMBER 2014,
PLB UPLOAD WORK BEING UNDERTAKEN BY ITALY;
4. LAST UPDATED DECEMBER 2004;
5. LAST UPDATED DECEMBER 2013;
6. LAST UPDATED DECEMBER 2012.

INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 26

TAKE-AWAYS
ALERTS ARE PROVIDED FREE, BUT JOIN COSPAS-SARSAT IF YOU WANT TO
PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNANCE AND ENJOY MORE SUPPORT
EARLY OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY OF MEOSAR WILL BEGIN THIS YEAR

SPECIFICATIONS FOR NEW ELT CAPABILITIES ARE BEING FINALIZED,

INCLUDING RETURN LINK SERVICE AND IN-FLIGHT TRIGGERING DURING
DISTRESS
THE INTERNATIONAL BEACON REGISTRATION DATABASE IS A FREE RESOURCE
FOR YOU TO USE TO ENSURE THAT ELTS ARE PROPERLY REGISTERED
VERIFY YOUR SEARCH-AND-RESCUE POINTS OF CONTACT ON THE COSPASSARSAT WEBSITE
INTERNATIONAL
COSPAS-SARSAT
PROGRAMME
SLIDE 27