Cool! Just like the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey!"
By the way, for live coverage of NASA activities, see this link:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/index.html
Priscilla
At 10:37 AM 2/15/01, Buri, Heather H wrote:
>Here it is:
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Will Cox" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: <Recipient list suppressed>
>Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 9:15 AM
>Subject: Is this COOL or what? Cisco Space Phones!
>
>
> > Enjoy the read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> >
> >
> > >>Yesterday, at approximately 4:09 PM Central, the first phone call from
> > space was made. Astronaut Marsha Ivin, using a Cisco IP SoftPhone on the
> > Space Shuttle Atlantis, made the first and second telephone calls EVER
>from
> > space.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>NASA has had CallManager software in a development lab since prior to
> > the Selsius acquisition by Cisco. The Selsius, and now second-generation
> > Cisco phones, have been unusually tolerant to the satellite delay between
> > Mission Control in Houston and the Shuttle. Brett Parrish, lead NASA
> > engineer on this project, holds our CallManager software in very high
> > regard, especially since finding it works over satellite delay without
> > modification between our hardware-based phones (tested to up to 1.2
>seconds
> > of delay). Brett has stated that it is very unusual for an application to
> > work out of the box with this type of delay.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>Since certification for flight is an extremely long and, at times,
> > extremely political process, NASA decided to use SoftPhone for the first
> > trial. The main reason for this is that the laptop PCs used by NASA
> > astronauts have already been certified, and getting a software process in
> > flight is much easier than launching hardware. Extensive testing was
> > performed at NASA using custom-built equipment to replicate the delays and
>
> > LOS (Loss Of Signal) conditions common with the Space Shuttle. Minor
> > modifications were made to CallManager (inclusion of a service parameter)
> > and to SoftPhone (change in the order of events for call acceptance) by
> > Cisco development to address TAPI issues with delay, and SoftPhone was
> > approved for a trial flight. Unfortunately, this was not an official goal
> > of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, which simply meant testing was not
> > scheduled, and not guaranteed. Despite the lack of official stature for
> > this test, optimism that SoftPhone would be tested was very high as the
> > Astronauts had seen the application and were demanding that it fly with
>the
> > Shuttle. Imagine being out in space with no way to call home! Imagine
>being
> > IN space and being able to make a normal phone call anywhere! Despite all
> > the technological advances, separation is very apparent when out in space.
>
> > Never has an Astronaut been able to pick up a phone and place a call.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>At approximately 4:00PM Central the opportunity to make a call using
>the
> > Cisco IP SoftPhone became available. Marsha Ivin, with a brief break in
> > official tasks, asked Space Command if there was time to try the IP
> > SoftPhone. The Flight Commander gave the go-ahead and the test was on!.
> > Marsha booted up the SoftPhone and at approximately 4:09PM made a call to
> > the Flight Director. The call went from her SoftPhone software through a
> > VG-200 gateway, over an FXO port, through a PBX to the phone on the Flight
>
> > Director s desk. They held a long and animated conversation (though what
> > was actually discussed is unknown) and at the end Marsha was granted
> > permission to call one of the 7960 phones in the POC (Payload Operations
> > Center). She made the call and it was answered by Brett Parrish. Marsha
> > asked So how do you like getting the second ever call from space? . After
> > speaking with Brett, Steve Schadelbauer of NASA was put on the line and he
>
> > spoke with Marsha. The conversations with Marsha lasted for several
> > minutes. Both Brett and Steve commented at how clear the conversation was
> > much better than the audio quality found on the radio conversations with
> > the Shuttle.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>It was amazing at how much of a non-event this was. History in the
> > making but no scrambling, no trouble-shooting. IT JUST WORKS !!! Most of
> > the credit goes to Brett and Steve for their tireless testing and
> > replication of the Shuttle s environment. On the other hand, this is truly
>
> > an illustration of how Cisco s IP Telephony makes geographic location
> > irrelevant to audio communications. Anywhere, and that means ANYWHERE, you
>
> > have IP connectivity you have a COMMUNICATIONS network, which includes
> > telephony. The network works, no excuses!
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>This is a tribute to many things. Brett and Steve put our software and
> > hardware through the ringer at NASA subjecting it to delay, loss of
>signal,
> > and bit error rates well above what would be found even between Mission
> > Control and the Shuttle. As a result, this historic moment was a non
>event.
> > Also as a result, future applications are so real that only official
> > testing and approval stand in the way. We have successfully tested 7960
> > phones in the Space Station and in the Shuttle and they work better than
> > the SoftPhone. It will be a while before we see them as mission approval
>is
> > a long, and yes political, process. As an example, safety testing must
> > include the INCINERATION of a hardware phone to test for toxic emissions.
> > As far as future capabilities, we have demonstrated SoftPhone
> > collaboration, whiteboarding, and chat features in the NASA lab. All work
> > better than existing capabilities. ART (Administrative reporting Tool)
> > meets requirements from Space Command for call tracking. XML display
> > capabilities add additional value to the hardware phones and we expect to
> > demonstrate that value and put 7960s in Mission Control.
> > Will Cox
> > Inside Sales-Canada
> > Cisco Systems, Inc.
> > 7025 Kit Creek Road
> > P.O. Box 14987
> > Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA 27709
> > Direct: 800-888-8187 x24509
> > Fax: 919-392-4744
> > Pager: 1-800-365-4578
> > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > www.cisco.com
> >
> > For Pre-Sales Technical Support and Customer Service call: 1- 800-462-4726
>
> >
> > Cisco Technical Assistance Center (24hr): 1- 800-553-2447
> >
> > Empowering the Internet Generation
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: David York [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2001 7:06 AM
>To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'
>Subject: Cisco Space Phone
>
>
> > Would someone send me a copy of the Cisco Space Phone email, I seemed to
> > have lost mine.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Cameron Ashley
> > Sr. Network Engineer
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> >
>
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>_________________________________
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________________________
Priscilla Oppenheimer
http://www.priscilla.com
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