On Wednesday, October 1, the Coast Guard will take over management of the U.S. Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT) program from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
SARSAT is the U.S. part of a larger, global network: the International COSPAS-SARSAT Program (ICSP). This network uses satellites to detect distress signals from Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), and Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs). The system relays the signal to ground stations that pinpoint the location of the beacon for rescue authorities, like the Coast Guard, drastically improving response times and helping save lives.
Why it matters
In leading the program, the Coast Guard will continue to focus on efficiency, faster decision-making, and serving the public. NOAA will still manage the U.S. Mission Control Center (USMCC) – the center for receiving and processing distress signals – and maintain the National Beacon Registration Database for U.S. coded beacons and the Incident History Database.
Working with NASA, the Air Force, and the Space Force is still vital for smooth operation. NASA will also take on the role of Chief Engineer, leading projects to improve the system.
The Space Force will now be the primary provider of satellite support, operating the Medium-Altitude Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) satellites. The Air Force will continue to provide expertise on inland search and rescue, based on its experience coordinating those operations. The Coast Guard and Air Force will share the program costs equally."
“We want to thank NOAA and all of the personnel from each participating agency who have made this program a success for the past 46 years,” said Capt. William Walker, U.S. Coast Guard Chief of Search and Rescue. “NOAA’s continued support throughout this transition and into the future of the program is essential to ensure the system remains reliable, efficient, and capable of responding to distress signals in the most critical situations.”
SARSAT has been particularly useful in remote areas where traditional communication tools, like radios or cellular phones are less reliable and can add additional layers to the initial distress notification to SAR authorities. In 2024 alone, SARSAT helped rescue 411 people in 159 distress incidents in the U.S., and more than three quarters of those incidents were in the maritime domain.
Global Search and Rescue Day: Sept. 10
September 10th is now officially recognized as Global Search and Rescue Day by the ICSP member nations. This date commemorates the first rescue made possible by the ICSP system back in 1982 – a downed aircraft in northern Canada. It's a day to recognize the operators in control centers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to save lives, past and present.
Since the program’s inception, more than 63,000 people have been rescued worldwide as a result of ICSP distress alerts, and we need to help it continue.
What you can do
Activating a properly registered beacon is the single most important thing you can do to help rescuers find you quickly in an emergency. This provides SAR authorities with vital contact information, vessel details, and emergency contacts, saving valuable time.
Make sure your EPIRB/PLB is registered (and up to date). You can do that here at the NOAA website.
The Coast Guard’s assumption of SARSAT program management duties is the next step taken in a proud legacy of saving lives. By understanding the system and ensuring your beacon is registered, you're playing a crucial role in our shared mission.
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