Editing Emergency position-indicating radiobeacon (section)

== International COSPAS-SARSAT Programme ==
[[Cospas-Sarsat]] is an international organization that has been a model of international cooperation, even during the [[Cold War]]. SARSAT means search-and-rescue satellite-aided tracking. COSPAS (''КОСПАС'') is an [[acronym and initialism|acronym]] for the Russian words "''COsmicheskaya'' ''Sistema Poiska Avariynyh Sudov''" (Космическая Система Поиска Аварийных Судов), which translates to "space system for the search of vessels in distress". A consortium of USSR, the U.S., Canada, and France formed the organization in 1982. Since then, 29 other countries have joined.

The satellites used in the system include:
* LEOSAR or Low Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue Satellites
** The LEOSAR system calculates the location of distress events using Doppler processing techniques. Doppler processing is based upon the principle that the frequency of the distress beacon, as "heard" by the satellite instrument, is affected by the relative velocity of the satellite with respect to the beacon. By monitoring the change of the beacon frequency of the received beacon signal and knowing the exact position of the satellite, the LUT is able to calculate the location of the beacon.
* GEOSAR or Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue Satellites
** As a GEOSAR satellite remains fixed relative to the Earth rotating with the earth around the equator, GEOSAR satellites utilize the GPS provided by the EPIRB, PLB, or ELT to provide rescuers with beacon position information.
* MEOSAR or Mid-Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue Satellites
** The newest of the Cospas Sarsat satellites, detect EPIRB, PLB, and ELT distress signals in almost real-time (i.e within 5 minutes) including the beacons location with or without GPS.
** The new MEOSAR system also provides the framework along with the [[Galileo (satellite navigation)|Galileo]] Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) for EPIRBs, PLBs, and EPIRBs to utilize the new Return Link Service or RLS that provides a confirmation message from Search and Rescue back to the beacon to let the survivors know their distress message was confirmed.

Cospas-Sarsat defines standards for beacons, auxiliary equipment to be mounted on conforming weather and communication satellites, ground stations, and communications methods. The satellites communicate the beacon data to their ground stations, which forward it to main control centers of each nation that can initiate a rescue effort.

Cospas Sarsat Monitoring include:

* Local User Terminals (LUTs)
* Mission Control Centers (MCC)
* Rescue Coordination Center (RCC)