Norway Contracts with TSi for the Upgrade of its SARSAT LEOLUT

The Norwegian Royal Justice Ministry (RJM) has contracted with TSi to provide upgrades to all its COSPAS-SARSAT systems. TSi installed the original Norwegian SARSAT system in 1993.

The Norwegian Mission Control Center was upgraded in June 2002. In January 2003 a new Local User Terminal for the low earth orbiting (LEO) COSPAS-SARSAT system was installed in Longyearbyen Norway . This site is at 78 o north, making it the most northerly COSPAS-SARSAT installation in the world. Mr. Einar Ellingsen is the RJM Program Manager for the SARSAT project.

The RJM has also contracted with TSi for a GEOSAR LUT for the new MeteoSAT Second Generation satellite. The new GEOSAR LUT will be installed when the MeteoSAT satellite is fully operational. TSi supplied Norway 's existing Mission Control Center and LEO Local User Terminal in 1993.

Since the COSPAS-SARSAT low earth orbiting (LEO) satellites are in polar orbits, the location of the new Norway LEOLUT 12 degrees south of the North Pole means that it sees about 60 satellite passes per day, more than any other LUT in the world. It will provide coverage for the polar region.

The installation took place in January, when the sun does not appear in Longyearbyen.