The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) have the ability to not only monitor Earth's weather but also to recieve distress signals from victims. Currently, the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided System SARSAT, developed by a NASA Goddard team, has saved more than 27,000 lives since its launch 30 years ago. The same team is now developing a new system, which will use a constellation of 24 GPS satellites to be able to pick up a distress signal and relay the victim's location precisely and almost instantly.
In June 2010, at age 16, Abby Sunderland attempted to be the youngest person to sail the world solo. When she found herself stranded and lost at sea, Abby's life was saved by NASA-developed satellite-based search and rescue technologies that allowed rescuers to detect her distress signal and pinpoint her location thousands of miles off the Australian coast. On October 25, 2010 Abby visited NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD to meet the team that developed the SARSAT technology, which ultimately saved here life. This video captures her visit to NASA GSFC.
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