SARSAT (search and rescue satellite-aided tracking)

A system of satellites operated by Canada, France, and the United States for search and rescue purposes. The system, along with the equivalent system COSPAS of the former Soviet Union, monitors distress signals from ships and aircraft. The ship or aircraft in distress must transmit the distress signal on one of the two fixed frequencies. The system uses NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) satellites in low-earth and geostationary orbits to detect and locate aviators, mariners, and land-based users in distress. The satellites relay distress signals from emergency beacons to ground stations and ultimately to the U.S. mission control center in Southland, Maryland. The USMCC (United States Mission Control Center) processes the data and alerts the appropriate search and rescue (S and R) authorities. SARSAT is a part of COSPAS-SARSAT.