NASA Invites Media to Emergency Locater Transmitters Crash Test

The projected cost of hosting, more than $8.6 billion including operating and construction costs, has been one of the concerns most cited in public opinion polls showing that many in and around the city oppose the bid. This is the second of three crash tests of three different Cessna 172 aircraft this summer equipped with ELTs, crash test dummies, cameras and data-collecting sensors. Emergency locator transmitters are installed on aircraft to transmit a distress signal in the event of an airplane crash. Current models send the signal to orbiting satellites, which is then repeated to the nearest search and rescue ground station. The received signal is used to determine the identity and location of the ELT, which is sent to rescue personnel.