Simulation Results of the Global Coverage Area of the Medium Earth Orbit Segment of the COSPAS–SARSAT System

Abstract

. The results of the mathematical simulation of the coverage area of the MEOSAR of the COSPAS–SARSAT system for the planned date of the full operation capability (FOC) are presented (FOC is expected to begin in 2020) in this article. It is shown that the globality of the coverage area of the MEOSAR segment for the planned data by means of the standalone stations cannot be achieved because of the slow moving distress beacons in the system. The paper demonstrates that the integration of the ground stations of one National Administration into one station with the geographically distributed antennas, as well as a specialized procedure of schedule planning, are a potential solution to the problem of achieving the globality of the coverage area of the MEOSAR segment of COSPAS–SARSAT program. Based on the example of the planned Russian MEOLUT with 12 antennas (6 antennas in Moscow and 6 antennas in the Russian Far East), the article shows that it is possible to optimize the coverage area, which increases the coverage in the Russian Far East and in the Pacific Region (that might have problems with the MEOSAR coverage) owning to the decrease in the coverage area in Western Europe (where there is a sufficient number of other MEOLUTs). Potentially, the optimization of the MEOLUTs schedules and a shift of their coverage areas in the zones of the insufficient MEOSAR coverage can help to achieve the global service of MEOSAR.