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:
>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 hi
