Lanham, Maryland, USA – December 4, 2020 – TSi, the global leader in Search and Rescue (SAR) satellite ground stations and software solutions, announced it has been selected by NOAA to deliver its Horizon Phased Array Antenna (PAA) to enhance NOAA’s Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) ground segment system at Wahiawa, Hawaii.
MEOSAR is the next-gen version of the Cospas-Sarsat international search and rescue satellite system that has helped save over 50,000 lives since 1982. NOAA, the US agency responsible for the US SARSAT program, led the way with the world’s first operational MEOSAR system in 2011; a system designed, developed, and installed by TSi. “TSi continues to remain a world leader and valued innovator in SARSAT technologies.”, said Mickey Fitzmaurice, NOAA SARSAT program’s Lead Satellite Systems Engineer. “This most recent award to enhance the operational US MEOLUTs with their Horizon MEOLUT, validates NOAA’s continued trust in TSi to bring about the most advanced technologies available today to improve detection and location accuracy of emergency distress beacons used by personnel, aircraft and maritime vessels in distress.”
The key technology innovation in the latest TSi MEOSAR system is the use of a custom-designed phased array antenna integrated with TSi’s proprietary MEOLUT signal processing and control techniques. With near horizon-to-horizon coverage to capture 406 MHz beacon signals relayed from orbiting satellites immediately after line-of-sight is established, this new antenna technology delivers enhanced search and rescue coverage and second-generation signal processing capabilities in a compact form factor with no moving parts.
By pointing to satellites near the horizon, TSi’s Horizon PAA can detect and locate emergency beacons with greater accuracy than traditional dish antennas. This enhanced detection ability, combined with TSi’s Selective Schedule Algorithm, enables TSi’s system to monitor more diverse regions, including the translation of oblong and irregular data points that are invisible to traditional systems. “For us, a key technology goal is to take the ‘Search’ out of Search and Rescue.”, stated TSi’s Chief Technology Officer, Jeff Khorrami. “The development of the latest TSi Horizon PAA MEOLUT by our talented R&D team was a critical milestone in our continued pursuit of this ambitious goal.”
About TSi: Founded in 1975, TSi is an advanced technology company and the global leader in SAR satellite ground stations and software services for integrated emergency response center systems. US NOAA and NASA, AMSA (Australia), MNZ (New Zealand), UK Coast Guard, CAAS (Singapore), DGAC (Chile) and other international government agencies are among the world-class customers that trust TSi to support and facilitate their SAR operations and save lives.
For more information, please visit https://www.technosci.com or email us at info@technosci.com