How is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) involved in the issue of phasing-out 121.5 MHz satellite alerting?
The Cospas-Sarsat satellites carry instruments that relay distress signals from 121.5 MHz emergency beacons, and from 406 MHz emergency beacons. The United States and Russia provide the satellites (France and Canada provide SAR instruments carried on the United States satellites). NOAA is the lead agency in the United States for the Cospas-Sarsat Program. NOAA represents the United States to the international Cospas-Sarsat Program, as well as manages and operates the satellites that carry instruments to relay distress signals.
