COSPAS-SARSAT (satellite distress beacons)
COSPAS-SARSAT (radiobalizas de socorro por satélite)
- Date
- 1979-1985 · confidence high
- Place
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Credited to
- Canada, France, United States and the Soviet Union
- Field
- Communication
What it is
An international programme in which satellites detect and locate the distress signal of beacons on ships, aircraft and individuals. Its first rescue was in September 1982 and it has since helped save tens of thousands of lives.
It is an intergovernmental programme headquartered in Canada; the technology emerged from collaboration between Cold War rivals.
What it led to
- EPIRB and ELT beacons
- the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
- satellite search and rescue