Press Trust of India

New Delhi, April 24

ndian satellites are now successfully being used to aid search and rescue operations for those in distress, covering large part of Indian Ocean and a few other nations.

This activity has helped in the rescue of 40 people last year after getting distress signals, according to a Department of Space Report.

To sustain this activity, started as part of an international agreement, ISRO has established two local user terminals(LUTS) - one each at Lucknow and Bangalore. There is also an Indian Mission Control Center(INMCC) at Bangalore.

The LUTS provide distress alert and position location service through low earth orbit search and rescue(LEOSAR) satellite system, the report said.

In addition, the INSAT-2B is equipped with 406 mhz search and rescue payload, which picks up alert signals originating from the distress beacons of maritime, aviation and land users, the report said the signals are then relayed.

The Indian LUTS provide coverage on a large part of Indian Ocean providing distress alert services to Bangaldesh, Bhutan, Kenya, Maldives, Nepal, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Tanzania, it said.

The report said based on the performance demonstrations of INSAT the system has now been adopted as an integral part of the international system for satellite aided search and rescue operations.

The distress alert messages originating from the Indian service area are detected at INMCC which are passed on to the Indian Coast Guard and rescue coordinate centers located at Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai.

Coast Guard, Navy and Air force carry on the search and rescue activities the report said adding the INMCC is linked to RCC's and other international mission control centers through automatic telex and aeronautical fixed telecommunication network(AFTN).

The Indian LUTS and MCC provide service round the clock and maintain the database of all 406 mhz registered beacons equipped of Indian ships and aircraft. The operations of LUTS are funded by Coast Guard, Airport Authority of India, and Director General of Shipping and Services, the report said.

On the rescue activities carried out last year, the report said Indian MCC picked up a distress signal on March 26 last year from a private aircraft that crashed in Maharashtra, which led to the rescue of six people.

One distress signal was detected on June 12 by INSAT 2B satellite from a Singapore registered oil tanker that sank in Arabian Sea after an explosion. Out of 42 crew, 32 were rescued by the Indian Coast guard.

Indian MCC also helped in the rescue of two school girls who were part of a 17 members UK expedition team to the Himalayas. The team activated their 406 beacon when two girls feel sick due to high altitude pulmonary breathing problem. The international satellite system for search and rescue comprises a constellation of satellites both in polar and geostationary orbits.

The system provides distress alert and location information to search and rescue authorities for maritime, aviation and land users in distress.