COSPAS-SARSAT is an international satellite system that helps locate people in distress, especially in remote areas. It was established in 1982 and is a collaboration between Canada, France, Russia, and the United States. The system uses satellites to detect emergency signals from distress beacons, which can be activated by individuals in need of help. When a distress beacon is activated, the signal is picked up by COSPAS-SARSAT satellites and relayed to ground stations. These stations then process the information and send it to rescue coordination centers, which can dispatch search and rescue teams to the location of the emergency. This system has saved thousands of lives worldwide.