Distress beacon

A distress beacon is an automated signal device used in the event of an emergency in space. Various forms of distress beacons exist, including emergency locator beacons, while a particular type of beacon that utilizes slipstream space is colloquially referred to as the slipbeacon. Distress beacons are mounted on most human starships, and are compact enough to fit in a cryo-tube.

Operational History
In 2526, during the Battle of Circinius IV, Cadet Thomas Lasky used a distress beacon in an attempt to get help for Hastati Squad, but believed that that the beacon was broken when he got no response. After the Master Chief showed up, he explained he found the cadets due to the distress beacon.

In 2552, a distress beacon was used by Cortana when the rear half of the was left stranded in space after the Battle of Installation 00. In 2557, it was pulled into Requiem along with the remains of the Forward Unto Dawn by Requiem's gravity well and was detected by the which attempted to locate the source of the distress beacon. Unable to reach Infinity and warn them of the danger, the Master Chief and Cortana attempted to use the satellite at Requiem's core to reach Infinity, inadvertently releasing the Ur-Didact in the process.

In December 2553, Veta Lopis' Ferret team used a slipbeacon to signal their location to the  during Operation: RETRIBUTION. The slipbeacon was disguised as one of ten HAVOK tactical nuclear weapons that the team claimed to have stolen from the as part of their cover story to gunrunner Ross Nyeto.

When Operation: BLOWBACK went awry, Team Black used a slipbeacon to send a distress signal to FLEETCOM.

The fetcher Oliver Birch used one after he and his dog Mabel became stranded in deep space in a cryo-tube.

During the Second Ark Conflict in 2559, Captain James Cutter devised a plan to plant a distress beacon on Installation 09 and dispatch it to the Soell system, the former home of Installation 04. There, the beacon would be within range of Reach to contact the UNSC and have them send the help on the Ark. However, while Professor Ellen Anders succeeded in planting the beacon and launching the Halo ring into slipspace, it was intercepted in mid-transit by a Guardian, keeping the message from being received.

List of appearances

 * Halo: First Strike
 * Tug o' War
 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Blood Line
 * Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
 * Halo 4
 * Halo: Retribution
 * Halo Wars 2