ESA has completed construction and testing of a trio of ground stations that will provide coverage over the European search and rescue region. The stations are located in Spitsbergen in the Norwegian Arctic’s Svalbard archipelago, Maspalomas on the largest island of Spain’s Canary Islands, and Larnaca on the island nation of Cyprus, forming a triangle enclosing Europe. The three are coordinated and overseen from a control centre in Toulouse, France.
Galileo engineers have introduced another innovation: for the first time those in distress will receive a reply, letting them know their signal was picked up and help is on the way.
Read more here:
http://www.insidegnss.com/node/4283
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Navigation/New_sites_will_boost_European_search_and_rescue