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Canada has awarded Thales Canada Phase II of the MEOSAR (Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue) Ground Segment contract.
The contract includes the procurement of two Medium Orbit Local User Terminals (MEOLUTs) and maintenance services for five years with options for an additional five years.
It will support Canada’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to distress signals from land, air and sea from coast to coast to coast; enabling Canada to meet its obligations under the International COSPAS-SARSAT Program Agreement.
Using Thales Alenia Space’s powerful and compact MEOLUT Next phased array solution, Canada will benefit from the world’s first space-borne search and rescue system of this type. Thales Alenia Space designs, operates and delivers satellite-based systems for governments and institutions, helping them position and connect anyone or anything, everywhere. Since its commissioning in 2016, MEOLUT Next has delivered unrivalled performance, detecting distress signals more than 5,000 km away.
This new capability saves lives. On July 2, 2017, at 6:30 a.m., 70 kilometres off the coast of Sardinia, a 12-metre sailboat with three people aboard triggered its COSPAS/SARSAT beacon when its rudder broke and its engine failed. Its VHF radio out of range, the sailors quickly realized they were in a critical situation with waves over four metres high and the wind blowing at 40 knots. MEOLUT Next was able to receive and process their distress signals in less than five minutes, providing accurate positioning to authorities. An airplane identified the boat less than two hours after the beacon was triggered and a helicopter airlifted the crew to safety, saving all three lives.
“Thales Canada is proud to deliver world class solutions that will make life better and keep us safer,” said Jerry McLean, managing director and vice president, Thales Canada. “From complex C4ISR systems to integrated maritime C3 and diverse aerospace solutions, this contract further reflects Thales’ continued commitment to Canadian innovation.”
“We are confident that our solution will meet and exceed Canada’s MEOSAR expectations, offering Canada a decisive technology for its decisive moments,” said Philippe Blatt, VP Navigation France at Thales Alenia Space. “Today, MEOLUT Next is the only solution in the world capable of processing second-generation beacons in real time. Its operational efficiency was recently recognized by Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) for its humanitarian contributions.”
