From: LARRY KLAES (ljk4_at_msn.com)
Date: Sat Feb 14 2004 - 08:09:30 PST
>From: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory <info_at_jpl.nasa.gov>
>Reply-To: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory <info_at_jpl.nasa.gov>
>To: ljk4_at_msn.com
>Subject: International Interplanetary Networking Succeeds
>Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 18:45:36 -0600
>
>MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
>JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
>CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
>NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
>PASADENA, CALIF. 91109 TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011
>http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=dHWY5G-AA1xO-3BCLCXxIg..
> http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=GK50bx5v-QpO-3BCLCXxIg..
>
>Guy Webster 818/354-5011
>Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
>
>Donald Savage (202) 358-1547
>NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
>
>Jocelyne Landeau-Constantin 49 6151 90 26 96
>ESA/EASOC Communication Office
>
>NEWS RELEASE: 2004-061 February 13, 2004
>
>International Interplanetary Networking Succeeds
>
>A pioneering demonstration of communications between NASA's Mars
>Exploration Rover Spirit and the European Space Agency Mars Express
>orbiter succeeded.
>
>On February 6, while Mars Express was flying over the area Spirit was
>examining, the orbiter transferred commands from Earth to the rover
>and relayed data from the robotic explorer back to Earth.
>
>"This is the first time we have had an in-orbit communication between
>European Space Agency and NASA spacecraft, and also the first working
>international communications network around another planet," said
>Rudolf Schmidt, the European Space Agency's project manager for Mars
>Express. "Both are significant achievements, two more 'firsts' for
>Mars Express and the Mars Exploration Rovers."
>
>Jennifer Trosper, Spirit mission manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion
>Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., said, "We have an international
>interplanetary communications network established at Mars."
>
>The European Space Agency and NASA planned this demonstration as part
>of continuing efforts to cooperate in space and to enable plans to use
>joint communications assets to support future missions to the surface
>of Mars.
>
>The commands for the rover were transferred from Spirit's operations
>team at JPL to the European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt,
>Germany, where they were translated into commands for Mars Express.
>
>The translated commands were transmitted to Mars Express, which used
>them to successfully command Spirit. Spirit used its ultra-high
>frequency antenna to transmit telemetry information to Mars Express.
>The orbiter relayed the data back to JPL, via
>the European Space Operations Centre.
>
>"This is excellent news," said JPL's Richard Horttor, project manager
>for NASA's role in Mars Express. "The communication sessions between
>Mars Express and Spirit were pristine. Not a single bit of data was
>missing or added, and there were no duplications."
>
>This exercise demonstrated the increased flexibility and capabilities
>of interagency cooperation and highlighted the spirit of close support
>essential in undertaking international space exploration.
>
>Spirit and its twin Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, frequently
>use two NASA orbiters, Mars Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor, for
>relaying communications. The rovers also can communicate directly with
>the Earth-based antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network in California,
>Spain and Australia, another layer of international cooperation.
>
>JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena,
>manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project and NASA participation in
>Mars Express for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.
>
>For information about NASA and Mars programs on the Internet,
>visit: http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=h_GGDVUqrUJO-3BCLCXxIg.. .
> http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=ZqxAuyY4Zu9O-3BCLCXxIg..
>
>For images and information about the Mars Exploration Rover
>project on the Internet, visit:
>http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=ZtkW9syliM5O-3BCLCXxIg.. and
>http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=gtWjaHuz7vFO-3BCLCXxIg.. .
> http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=PQ9rK7nf_PpO-3BCLCXxIg..
> http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=2y3UO4S39hhO-3BCLCXxIg..
>
>For images and information about Mars Express on the Internet,
>visit: http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=vsSsJxkILEZO-3BCLCXxIg.. and
>http://jpl.convio.net/site/R?i=pWPH3qP5KbZO-3BCLCXxIg..
>
>-end-
>
>
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