A new MEOSAR satellite ground station was completed near Tuapo, New Zealand in November.
The new ground station, along with a similar receiving station in Western Australia that began construction in 2014 will be commissioned for use in the next year, boosting SARSAT coverage in the Southern Hemisphere.
The chances of a satellite being in line of sight of beacons will greatly increase as the number of MEOSAR satellites orbiting the Earth continues to rise.
Maritime New Zealand will now enter a period of testing for the site, after which Cospas-Sarsat will consider data from the ground station to ensure it meets appropriate standards and approve it as part of the global network.
Read more here:
http://www.satellitetoday.com/technology/2015/12/03/new-zealand-australia-step-to-forefront-of-new-satellite-search-and-rescue-system/