COSPAS-SARSAT
Satellite Aided Search and Rescue Programme
SUPARCO is participating in international humanitarian satellite-aided Search and Rescue COSPAS-SARSAT Programme based on satellites, emergency radio beacons and ground facilities to detect and locate vessels, aircrafts and personnel in distress at sea, in air and on land. The objective of the program is to provide accurate, timely and reliable distress alert & location data to help search and rescue agencies.
The COSPAS-SARSAT Pakistan Ground Segment was established by SUPARCO at Karachi comprising a Mission Control Center (MCC) and a Local User Terminal (LUT) in 2009. It is operational round the clock (24/7). The Ground Segment up-gradation is in progress in order to comply with international requirements for reception of data from the latest generation of satellites.
Under international humanitarian satellite aided search and rescue programme COSPAS-SARSAT, SUPARCO has been contributing as a Ground Segment (GS) provider for search and rescue operations/services from Low Earth Orbiting Satellites since 1990. National beacon database is also being maintained for registration of Pakistani coded emergency beacons. The up-gradation of Ground segment to receive emergency distress data from Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue System (MEOSAR) system is now under implementation. To improve search and rescue operations in the country, additional Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs) have been established, which are currently operational.