COSPAS-SARSAT is the international satellite search and rescue system developed for real-time notification of emergencies and distress events geographic coordinates determination.

System’s space segment is equipped with 406 MHz signal processing and retranslation units on board of low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit satellites; ground-based segment includes over 70 data reception and processing stations, as well as 30 coordination centers located in 26 countries. Aviation, shipboard and personal emergency radio beacons are supported.

The system was created in 1978 — 1987 jointly by USSR, USA, Canada and France. In 1987, by decree of USSR government, the domestic part of the system was accepted into service. During thirty years of system’s existence, number of states and organizations participating in the project has grown to 41.

Russian project segment is COSPAS («Space-based ships in distress location system»), foreign is SARSAT (Search And Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking). Primary developer of Russian segment is JSC Russian Space Systems.