MidEarth Orbiting Search and Rescue MEOSAR Transition to

Mid-Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) Transition to Operations RCC Controller Conference February 2011

Overview SAR/GPS (DASS) Overview International MEOSAR Space Segment Ground Segment Program Activities Summary MEOSAR Transition to Operations 2

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

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 SAR Aircraft - 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 5

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 - 6 th meeting of WG-2 held in May 2009, 7 th 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 $100 M • 30 June 2006 letter (Canadian National Search and Rescue Secretariat to NOAA) • High-level effort to complete an MOU between Do. D 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 SAR/GPS) and ESA/EC (SAR/Galileo) working to include 406 MHz repeater instruments on future medium Earth altitude orbiting (MEO) satellite constellations Constellations will be fully compatible Coordinating with C-S on specifications and interoperability 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 beacon

Space Segment 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 SAR/Galileo SAR/GLONASS Deployment Phase DASS Full Constellation Combined MEOSAR Transition to Operations 9

Ground Segment #8: 01 January 2017 –––– 53 Satellites –––– 17 MEOLUTs (100%) #3: #1: #2: 01 01 30 January June 2011 2012 2011 11 18 5 Satellites 911 8 MEOLUTs (3. 8%) (53. 1%) (0%) #5: #7: #6: #4: 01 30 January 30 June 2013 2015 2012 – 30 – 31 26 20 Satellites –– 14 – 16 14 13 MEOLUTs (83. 1%) (81. 7%) (98. 4%) (65. 0%) Edmonton (8) Goose Bay (8) Kinloss(4) (2) Moscow (4) Ottawa (4) Toulouse (4) Ankara (4) (2) Algiers (4) Maryland (6) (4) Ussurijsk (4) Beijing (6) (4) Hawaii (6) Bangalore (6) Brasilia (4) (2) Cape Town (6) Perth (6) Wellington (6) Punta Arenas (6) dummy 10

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) Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Stand-Alone 96. 55% N/A 0. 73% Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Networked 97. 36% 38. 32% Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Networked – Coordinated Schedules [2] 98. 90% Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Regionally Networked Hawaii(6) and Eastern US(6) Globally Networked 95% Location Accuracy at First Burst (km) 95% Location Accuracy at 10 Minutes (km) N/A 8. 94 4. 23 0. 75% 5. 55% 8. 06 3. 77 (NC)[3] (NC) 6. 27 3. 01 99. 43% 86. 38% 0. 76% 99. 58% 5. 93 2. 86 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 % Where Networking Required is Fulfilled [1]

Summary 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 MEOLUTs Schedule assumes many concurrent activities Coordination with international space segments and ground stations provides the US added benefits Full Operational Capability not dependent on new beacons MEOSAR data could be available late 2013 for pre-IOC use 13