Mid-Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) Mid-Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) Transition to OperationsTransition to Operations

RCC Controller Conference

February 2011

Overview

SAR/GPS (DASS) OverviewInternational MEOSARSpace SegmentGround SegmentProgram ActivitiesSummary

2MEOSAR Transition to Operations

Distress Alerting Satellite System (DASS)

Various studies determined that medium-earth orbiting (MEO) satellites provide a vastly improved space-based distress alerting and locating system.

NASA, with USAF Space and Air Combat Command, NOAA, and USCG are developing a capability on GPS satellites– Distress Alerting Satellite System (DASS)

SAR/GPS provides:• 406 MHz “bent-pipe” repeaters on GPS - Alert data downlink freely

available internationally

• Full compatibility with existing and future 406 MHz beacons

• Support for civilian and military SAR responsibilities

• Low technical risk, low cost

• DASS fully interoperable with similar proposed Russian (SAR/GLONASS) and European (SAR/Galileo) systems

Supports U.S. Policy on Space-Based Positioning, Navigation & Timing Policy – S&R on GPS

MEO vs LEO Coverage

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Distress Alert Satellite System (DASS)

Current SARSAT systems in LEO and GEO

• Beacon activation recorded within 10 min

• Location determined within 1-2 hours with 5 km accuracy

GPS MEOSAR vastly improves capability

• Instantaneous Notification & Location

• Multiple Locations• Instantaneous Global

Coverage• 100% Availability• No Terrain Blockage• Improved Accuracy

NASA/NSARC led Proof-of-Concept called DASS includes repeater on GPS IIR, IIR-M, and IIF SVs

• S-Band downlink – currently not allocated for operational use

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SAR Aircraft

DASS Proof-of-Concept

DASS Proof-of-Concept (POC) Space Segment• Nine on-orbit GPS Block IIR satellites carry DASS repeaters• 12 Additional IIR satellites + all Block IIF satellites to host

repeaters• POC system uses existing GPS. Downlink at S-Band (Not ITU-

allocated for SAR)

Proof-of-Concept results to date:• Demonstrated ability to locate beacons to greater than current

Cospas-Sarsat accuracy using two or more satellites• System meets/exceeds theoretical capabilities• Tests are on-going

• Prototype ground station at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center• 4 antennas – capable of independently tracking 4 satellites• Completed in 2008

• Successfully passed acceptance testing• May become future operational MEOLUT

• Operational MEOLUT Wahiawa Hawaii• 6 antenna – capable of tracking 6 satellites either S-band or L-band• Planned completion September 2011

International MEOSAR Cooperation

European Commission / European Space Agency• Interoperability between SAR/Galileo and DASS part of US/EU

Agreement on GPS and Galileo• Interoperability to be addressed by Cospas-Sarsat

• Interoperability parameters specified in MEOSAR Implementation Plan• Declaration of Intent to Cooperate was signed in October 2006

Russia• US/Russia Agreement on GPS/GLONASS interoperability under

review• Agreement in Principle (April 2003) for interoperability with

SAR/Glonass• Two working groups established to address interoperability – WG-

2 addresses search and rescue - 6th meeting of WG-2 held in May 2009, 7th meeting scheduled for September 2011.

Canada• Has agreed to supply DASS repeater instruments to fly on GPS Block IIIB

• Contribution to DASS is worth approximately $100M• 30 June 2006 letter (Canadian National Search and Rescue Secretariat to NOAA)

• High-level effort to complete an MOU between DoD and Canada is close

• Coordination with GPS III program in progress (development of project plan and Instrument ICD)

Cospas-Sarsat of Tomorrow: MEOSAR

Russia (SAR/GLONASS), USA (GPS aka Russia (SAR/GLONASS), USA (GPS aka SAR/GPS) and ESA/EC (SAR/Galileo) working SAR/GPS) and ESA/EC (SAR/Galileo) working to include 406 MHz repeater instruments on to include 406 MHz repeater instruments on future medium Earth altitude orbiting (MEO) future medium Earth altitude orbiting (MEO) satellite constellationssatellite constellations

Constellations will be fully compatibleConstellations will be fully compatibleCoordinating with C-S on specifications and Coordinating with C-S on specifications and interoperabilityinteroperability Global detection + location:

First burst detection Beacon without embedded GPS - greater than Cospas-Sarsat accuracy with 3 bursts or less Self-locating beacons - GPS accuracy after single beacon burst

SAR/Galileo provides a two-way capability to the SAR/Galileo provides a two-way capability to the beaconbeacon

Space Segment

9MEOSAR Transition to Operations

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

SAR/Galileo

SAR/GLONASS

DASS

Combined

Deployment Phase

Full Constellation

10

Ground Segment

Hawaii (6)

Perth (6)

Bangalore (6)

Ankara (2)

Kinloss (2)

Brasilia (2)

Beijing (4)

Toulouse (4)

Edmonton (8)

Maryland (4) Algiers (4)

Ottawa (4)Kinloss (4)

Ankara (4)

Brasilia (4)

#1: 01 January 2011 – 5 Satellites – 8 MEOLUTs (0%) #2: 30 June 2011 – 11 Satellites – 9 MEOLUTs (3.8%) #3: 01 January 2012 – 18 Satellites – 11 MEOLUTs (53.1%) #4: 30 June 2012 – 20 Satellites – 13 MEOLUTs (65.0%)

Moscow (4)

Maryland (6)Beijing (6)

#5: 01 January 2013 – 26 Satellites – 14 MEOLUTs (81.7%)

Goose Bay (8)

Wellington (6)

#6: 30 June 2013 – 30 Satellites – 14 MEOLUTs (83.1%) #7: 01 January 2015 – 31 Satellites – 16 MEOLUTs (98.4%)

Punta Arenas (6)

Cape Town (6)

#8: 01 January 2017 – 53 Satellites – 17 MEOLUTs (100%)

Ussurijsk (4)

dummy

Regional Networking Advantages

 

% within AOR with less than 5 km error within 10 minutes (MIP Annex E Req. of 95%)

% Where Networking is Beneficial

% National with 2 or Less Satellites (Networking Required)

% Where Networking Required is Fulfilled[1]

95% Location Accuracy at First Burst (km)

95% Location Accuracy at 10 Minutes (km)

Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Stand-Alone 96.55% N/A 0.73% N/A 8.94 4.23

Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Networked 97.36% 38.32% 0.75% 5.55% 8.06 3.77

Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Networked – Coordinated Schedules[2] 98.90% (NC)[3] (NC) (NC) 6.27 3.01

Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Regionally Networked 99.43% 86.38% 0.76% 99.58% 5.93 2.86

Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Globally Networked 99.68% 95.53% 0.75% 99.86% 5.25 2.64

Hawaii(6) Stand-Alone Eastern US(6) down 77.03% N/A 16.11% N/A -----[4] -----

Eastern US(6) Stand-Alone Hawaii(6) down 72.11% N/A 22.41% N/A ----- -----

Hawaii(6) Regionally Networked Eastern US(6) down 99.14% 88.89% 16.06% 99.28% 6.15 2.92

Eastern US(6) Regionally Networked Hawaii(6) down 97.52% 84.61% 22.39% 95.08% 7.42 3.49

Summary

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Space segment planned to be the first component of system fully deployed (by 2015)Full Operational Capability dependent on global deployment of a ground segment

Installation, location and schedule of ground segment deployment is highly speculative and provided for planning purposes only

US Ground Segment composed of three MEOLUTsSchedule assumes many concurrent activitiesCoordination with international space segments and ground stations provides the US added benefits Full Operational Capability not dependent on new beaconsMEOSAR data could be available late 2013 for pre-IOC use