A NASA-developed satellite system, SARSAT, helped rescue a five-person fishing team after their boat sank 40 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Memorial Day weekend 2024. The system, operational since 1982, has contributed to saving over 63,000 lives.
Easton Barrett was part of a team participating in a fishing competition when their boat sank within 30 seconds. With no cell service, Barrett began recording a farewell message, while another team member activated a personal locator beacon (PLB). This PLB transmitted a distress signal to the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT) system.
SARSAT, originally developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, directs emergency signals to the nearest ground station. From there, rescue coordination centers are alerted. In this case, a Florida Coast Guard boat was dispatched. Barrett emphasized the importance of PLBs, stating, “Ever since, I have tried to teach others about safety on the water and in the outdoors by using a PLB. If that will save one life, it’s worth the effort.”
The ResQLink PLB used by the team, developed by ACR Electronics Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, also notifies the device owner’s emergency contact. All emergency beacons must meet specific requirements to ensure functionality, and devices like the ResQLink have a five- to 10-year battery life. The international SARSAT collaboration now includes 62 operational satellites and contributions from 45 nations.
The team survived four hours in the water, facing encounters with wildlife, and used 200 pounds of bait to help keep a cooler buoyant. The SARSAT system began U.S. operations in 1982 and expanded to international operations in 1985. As Barrett noted, “If it has anything to do with NASA, it's got to be awesome.”
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