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73-475: The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) network was designed to provide fiber-compatible SONET service to remote nodes and networks through a wideband satellite system, and provided long-haul, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint full-duplex SONET services, at rates up to 622 Mbit/s, over NASA's Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS). The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite itself, built and operated by Lockheed Martin ,

146-485: A base station. Telemetry hardware is useful for tracking persons and property in law enforcement. An ankle collar worn by convicts on probation can warn authorities if a person violates the terms of his or her parole , such as by straying from authorized boundaries or visiting an unauthorized location. Telemetry has also enabled bait cars , where law enforcement can rig a car with cameras and tracking equipment and leave it somewhere they expect it to be stolen. When stolen

219-430: A decimeter band and PPM on a centimeter band. Telemetry has been used by weather balloons for transmitting meteorological data since 1920. Telemetry is used to transmit drilling mechanics and formation evaluation information uphole, in real time, as a well is drilled. These services are known as Measurement while drilling and Logging while drilling . Information acquired thousands of feet below ground, while drilling,

292-841: A distance. In 1906 a set of seismic stations were built with telemetering to the Pulkovo Observatory in Russia. In 1912, Commonwealth Edison developed a system of telemetry to monitor electrical loads on its power grid. The Panama Canal (completed 1913–1914) used extensive telemetry systems to monitor locks and water levels. Wireless telemetry made early appearances in the radiosonde , developed concurrently in 1930 by Robert Bureau in France and Pavel Molchanov in Russia . Molchanov's system modulated temperature and pressure measurements by converting them to wireless Morse code . The German V-2 rocket used

365-563: A foot restraint platform. Their findings reassured the designers and planners of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) servicing flight that their preparations were sound. This was the third and final shuttle mission to include a preparatory EVA in response to the weaknesses in EVA training exposed by the STS-49 mission. The new equipment tested during the extensive spacewalk would later be required for

438-604: A long legacy of experimental communications satellites. After fulfilling its original mission as a key part of the ACTS Gigabit Satellite Network , the spacecraft continued operations through a partnership between the space agency and a nonprofit consortium. It was shut down April 28, 2004, after funding dried up. The satellite was put into a flat spin with its solar array edges facing the Sun , which should theoretically prevent it from ever being restarted. The spacecraft

511-507: A major role in disease prevention and precision irrigation. These stations transmit parameters necessary for decision-making to a base station: air temperature and relative humidity , precipitation and leaf wetness (for disease prediction models), solar radiation and wind speed (to calculate evapotranspiration ), water deficit stress (WDS) leaf sensors and soil moisture (crucial to irrigation decisions). Because local micro-climates can vary significantly, such data needs to come from within

584-430: A principal object of constant commercial telemetry. This typically includes monitoring of tank farms in gasoline refineries and chemical plants—and distributed or remote tanks, which must be replenished when empty (as with gas station storage tanks, home heating oil tanks, or ag-chemical tanks at farms), or emptied when full (as with production from oil wells, accumulated waste products, and newly produced fluids). Telemetry

657-410: A ranging device (the rangefinding telemeter ), by the late 19th century the same term had been in wide use by electrical engineers applying it refer to electrically operated devices measuring many other quantities besides distance (for instance, in the patent of an "Electric Telemeter Transmitter" ). General telemeters included such sensors as the thermocouple (from the work of Thomas Johann Seebeck ),

730-465: A route truck or to a headquarters. This data could be used for a variety of purposes, such as eliminating the need for drivers to make a first trip to see which items needed to be restocked before delivering the inventory. Retailers also use RFID tags to track inventory and prevent shoplifting. Most of these tags passively respond to RFID readers (e.g., at the cashier), but active RFID tags are available which periodically transmit location information to

803-516: A significant activity of the NASA Space Communications Program, provided for the development and flight test of high-risk advanced communications satellite technology. Using multiple spot beam antennas and advanced on-board switching and processing systems, ACTS pioneered new initiatives in communications satellite technology. NASA Glenn Research Center was responsible for the development, management, and operation of ACTS as part of

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876-421: A stationary bike on Discovery ' s lower deck as part of a continuing study of using exercise to counteract the effects of weightlessness on the body. The crew also powered up an experiment that looks at improving membrane filters in weightlessness and checked on another experiment that has been running well studying the effects of microgravity on plant cells . Astronauts Carl Walz and Jim Newman operated

949-582: A system of primitive multiplexed radio signals called "Messina" to report four rocket parameters, but it was so unreliable that Wernher von Braun once claimed it was more useful to watch the rocket through binoculars. In the US and the USSR, the Messina system was quickly replaced with better systems; in both cases, based on pulse-position modulation (PPM). Early Soviet missile and space telemetry systems which were developed in

1022-456: Is also recorded so the team can assess driver performance and (in case of an accident) the FIA can determine or rule out driver error as a possible cause. Later developments include two-way telemetry which allows engineers to update calibrations on the car in real time (even while it is out on the track). In Formula One, two-way telemetry surfaced in the early 1990s and consisted of a message display on

1095-555: Is also used for the remote monitoring of substations and their equipment. For data transmission, phase line carrier systems operating on frequencies between 30 and 400 kHz are sometimes used. In falconry , "telemetry" means a small radio transmitter carried by a bird of prey that will allow the bird's owner to track it when it is out of sight. Telemetry is used in testing hostile environments which are dangerous to humans. Examples include munitions storage facilities, radioactive sites, volcanoes, deep sea, and outer space. Telemetry

1168-585: Is derived from the Greek roots tele , 'far off', and metron , 'measure'. Systems that need external instructions and data to operate require the counterpart of telemetry: telecommand . Although the term commonly refers to wireless data transfer mechanisms (e.g., using radio , ultrasonic, or infrared systems), it also encompasses data transferred over other media such as a telephone or computer network , optical link or other wired communications like power line carriers. Many modern telemetry systems take advantage of

1241-489: Is designed to research the mixing of various solvent systems in the absence of convection found on Earth in hopes of controlling the porosity of various polymer membranes. RME measures gamma ray , electron , neutron and proton radiation levels in the crew cabin throughout the flight. On board, Mission specialist James Newman donned a special visor to perform a medical experiment testing vision in weightlessness as part of investigations into how vision compensates for

1314-519: Is especially useful when the clinical examination is limited. Telemetry is used to study wildlife, and has been useful for monitoring threatened species at the individual level. Animals under study can be outfitted with instrumentation tags, which include sensors that measure temperature, diving depth and duration (for marine animals), speed and location (using GPS or Argos packages). Telemetry tags can give researchers information about animal behavior, functions, and their environment. This information

1387-430: Is sent through the drilling hole to the surface sensors and the demodulation software. The pressure wave (sana) is translated into useful information after DSP and noise filters. This information is used for Formation evaluation , Drilling Optimization, and Geosteering . Telemetry is a key factor in modern motor racing, allowing race engineers to interpret data collected during a test or race and use it to properly tune

1460-636: Is the primary source of real-time measurement and status information transmitted during the testing of crewed and uncrewed aircraft. Intercepted telemetry was an important source of intelligence for the United States and UK when Soviet missiles were tested; for this purpose, the United States operated a listening post in Iran . Eventually, the Russians discovered the United States intelligence-gathering network and encrypted their missile-test telemetry signals. Telemetry

1533-474: Is then either stored (with archival tags) or the tags can send (or transmit) their information to a satellite or handheld receiving device. Capturing and marking wild animals can put them at some risk, so it is important to minimize these impacts. At a 2005 workshop in Las Vegas , a seminar noted the introduction of telemetry equipment which would allow vending machines to communicate sales and inventory data to

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1606-410: Is used by crewed or uncrewed spacecraft for data transmission. Distances of more than 10 billion kilometres have been covered, e.g., by Voyager 1 . In rocketry, telemetry equipment forms an integral part of the rocket range assets used to monitor the position and health of a launch vehicle to determine range safety flight termination criteria (Range purpose is for public safety). Problems include

1679-592: Is used by the railway industry for measuring the health of trackage . This permits optimized and focused predictive and preventative maintenance. Typically this is done with specialized trains, such as the New Measurement Train used in the United Kingdom by Network Rail , which can check for track defects, such as problems with gauge , and deformations in the rail. Japan uses similar, but quicker trains, nicknamed Doctor Yellow . Such trains, besides checking

1752-413: Is used for patients ( biotelemetry ) who are at risk of abnormal heart activity, generally in a coronary care unit . Telemetry specialists are sometimes used to monitor many patients within a hospital. Such patients are outfitted with measuring, recording and transmitting devices. A data log can be useful in diagnosis of the patient's condition by doctors . An alerting function can alert nurses if

1825-576: Is used in many battery operated wireless systems to inform monitoring personnel when the battery power is reaching a low point and the end item needs fresh batteries. In the mining industry, telemetry serves two main purposes: the measurement of key parameters from mining equipment and the monitoring of safety practices. The information provided by the collection and analysis of key parameters allows for root-cause identification of inefficient operations, unsafe practices and incorrect equipment usage for maximizing productivity and safety. Further applications of

1898-830: Is used to communicate the variable measurements of flow and tank level sensors detecting fluid movements and/or volumes by pneumatic , hydrostatic , or differential pressure; tank-confined ultrasonic , radar or Doppler effect echoes; or mechanical or magnetic sensors. Telemetry of bulk solids is common for tracking and reporting the volume status and condition of grain and livestock feed bins, powdered or granular food, powders and pellets for manufacturing, sand and gravel, and other granular bulk solids. While technology associated with fluid tank monitoring also applies, in part, to granular bulk solids, reporting of overall container weight, or other gross characteristics and conditions, are sometimes required, owing to bulk solids' more complex and variable physical characteristics. Telemetry

1971-759: The Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS), the Auroral Photography Experiment (APE-B), the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG), Chromosome and Plant Cell Division in Space (CHROMEX), High Resolution Shuttle Glow Spectroscopy (HRSGS-A), IMAX, Investigations into Polymer Membrane Processing (IPMP) and the Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME-III) experiment. The Investigation into Polymer Membrane Processing (IPMP),

2044-523: The European Space Agency (ESA), and other agencies use telemetry and/or telecommand systems to collect data from spacecraft and satellites. Telemetry is vital in the development of missiles, satellites and aircraft because the system might be destroyed during or after the test. Engineers need critical system parameters to analyze (and improve) the performance of the system. In the absence of telemetry, this data would often be unavailable. Telemetry

2117-540: The United Kingdom from the day they were assigned to the flight and then through their training and, finally, the mission itself. The documentary of this crew is called "Space Shuttle Discovery" and it was narrated by Heather Couper . It was released in 1993. Telemetry Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment ( telecommunication ) for monitoring. The word

2190-454: The resistance thermometer (by William Siemens based on the work of Humphry Davy ), and the electrical strain gauge (based on Lord Kelvin 's discovery that conductors under mechanical strain change their resistance ) and output devices such as Samuel Morse 's telegraph sounder and the relay . In 1889 this led an author in the Institution of Civil Engineers proceedings to suggest that

2263-529: The 19th century. One of the first data-transmission circuits was developed in 1845 between the Russian Tsar 's Winter Palace and army headquarters. In 1874, French engineers built a system of weather and snow-depth sensors on Mont Blanc that transmitted real-time information to Paris . In 1901 the American inventor C. Michalke patented the selsyn , a circuit for sending synchronized rotation information over

ACTS Gigabit Satellite Network - Misplaced Pages Continue

2336-618: The Airborne Support Equipment cradle (ASE) designed to release the spacecraft, one primary and the other a backup, simultaneously detonated. This caused minor tears in two dozen insulation blankets mounted on the bulkhead between the payload bay and the AFT near the #3 APU. The ASE ring holding the TOS was damaged as well, and ejected debris was visible as the stack moved away from the orbiter. The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS),

2409-456: The December 1993 Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission , and was only part of the objectives of the spacewalk, with Newman and Walz fulfilling the other goals as they explained at length to Mission Control Center the differences they perceived between work in orbit and ground training. The two EVA crewmen were ahead of schedule much of the day, and completed more tasks than originally planned. As

2482-503: The SPAS carrier (flown previously on STS-7 , STS-41-B , and STS-39 ) in 1986 into a free-flying astronomical platform. The DARA /NASA agreement called for four co-operative science missions, with Deutsche Agentur für Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA) providing the satellite, NASA the Shuttle launch and deployment/retrieval services, and the two parties sharing the science instruments. NASA provided

2555-636: The Shuttle free of charge, in return for access to data and the inclusion of U.S. experiments. ORFEUS, the Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer, designed to measure radiation between 400 and 1280 angstroms , was released at 14:06 UTC , on September 13, 1993, and was retrieved at 11:50 UTC, on September 19, 1993. Science contributions came from the University of Tübingen , Sternwarte Heidelberg, University of California, Berkeley and Princeton University (IMPAS). ORFEUS' telescope

2628-496: The United States including Hawaii. Up to 3 uplink and 3 downlink antenna beams could be active simultaneously. The ACTS network ground terminals were transportable Gigabit Earth Stations (GES) with fiber-optic SONET interfaces (OC-3 and OC-12), which also supported the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) protocol suite. The network control and management functions are distributed in the various Gigabit Earth Stations, with

2701-412: The car for optimum performance. Systems used in series such as Formula One have become advanced to the point where the potential lap time of the car can be calculated, and this time is what the driver is expected to meet. Examples of measurements on a race car include accelerations ( G forces ) in three axes, temperature readings, wheel speed, and suspension displacement. In Formula One, driver input

2774-552: The crop. Monitoring stations usually transmit data back by terrestrial radio , although occasionally satellite systems are used. Solar power is often employed to make the station independent of the power grid. Telemetry is important in water management , including water quality and stream gauging functions. Major applications include AMR ( automatic meter reading ), groundwater monitoring, leak detection in distribution pipelines and equipment surveillance. Having data available in almost real time allows quick reactions to events in

2847-652: The dashboard which the team could update. Its development continued until May 2001, when it was first allowed on the cars. By 2002, teams were able to change engine mapping and deactivate engine sensors from the pit while the car was on the track. For the 2003 season, the FIA banned two-way telemetry from Formula One; however, the technology may be used in other types of racing or on road cars. One way telemetry system has also been applied in R/C racing car to get information by car's sensors like: engine RPM, voltage, temperatures, throttle. In

2920-552: The deployment and retrieval of the SPAS-ORFEUS satellite and its IMAX camera , which captured spectacular footage of Discovery in space. A spacewalk was also performed during the mission to evaluate tools and techniques for the STS-61 Hubble Space Telescope (HST) servicing mission later that year. STS-51 was the first shuttle mission to fly a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a Trimble TANS Quadrex . It

2993-710: The epilepsy monitoring unit, neuro ICU, pediatric ICU and newborn ICU. Due to the labor-intensive nature of continuous EEG monitoring NT is typically done in the larger academic teaching hospitals using in-house programs that include R.EEG Technologists, IT support staff, neurologist and neurophysiologist and monitoring support personnel. Modern microprocessor speeds, software algorithms and video data compression allow hospitals to centrally record and monitor continuous digital EEGs of multiple critically ill patients simultaneously. Neurotelemetry and continuous EEG monitoring provides dynamic information about brain function that permits early detection of changes in neurologic status, which

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3066-406: The experiments designed to study the glowing effect, one a spectrometer that records the effect on film in fine detail and another that records the effect on still photographs. The experiments are hoped to provide information about just what types of gases – in addition to atomic oxygen – create the glow. The information on kinds of gases in the extreme reaches of the atmosphere may be coupled with

3139-478: The extreme environment (temperature, acceleration and vibration), the energy supply , antenna alignment and (at long distances, e.g., in spaceflight ) signal travel time . Today nearly every type of aircraft , missiles , or spacecraft carries a wireless telemetry system as it is tested. Aeronautical mobile telemetry is used for the safety of the pilots and persons on the ground during flight tests. Telemetry from an on-board flight test instrumentation system

3212-516: The field. Telemetry control allows engineers to intervene with assets such as pumps and by remotely switching pumps on or off depending on the circumstances. Watershed telemetry is an excellent strategy of how to implement a water management system. Telemetry is used in complex systems such as missiles, RPVs, spacecraft , oil rigs , and chemical plants since it allows the automatic monitoring, alerting, and record-keeping necessary for efficient and safe operation. Space agencies such as NASA , ISRO ,

3285-439: The inner ear's lack of balance in space. Newman also successfully tested a Global Positioning System receiver flying aboard Discovery as an evaluation of using such equipment to supplement the shuttle's navigation. Also, in a precursor of space station operations, one of Discovery ' s fuel cells was turned off and restarted. In another medical evaluation, Commander Frank Culbertson and Mission specialist Daniel Bursch rode

3358-589: The item, its package, or (for large items and bulk shipments) affixed to its shipping container or vehicle. This facilitates knowledge of their location, and can record their status and disposition, as when merchandise with barcode labels is scanned through a checkout reader at point-of-sale systems in a retail store. Stationary or hand-held barcode RFID scanners or Optical reader with remote communications, can be used to expedite inventory tracking and counting in stores, warehouses, shipping terminals, transportation carriers and factories. Fluids stored in tanks are

3431-572: The late 1940s used either PPM (e.g., the Tral telemetry system developed by OKB-MEI) or pulse-duration modulation (e.g., the RTS-5 system developed by NII-885). In the United States, early work employed similar systems, but were later replaced by pulse-code modulation (PCM) (for example, in the Mars probe Mariner 4 ). Later Soviet interplanetary probes used redundant radio systems, transmitting telemetry by PCM on

3504-476: The low cost and ubiquity of GSM networks by using SMS to receive and transmit telemetry data. A telemeter is a physical device used in telemetry. It consists of a sensor , a transmission path, and a display, recording, or control device. Electronic devices are widely used in telemetry and can be wireless or hard-wired, analog or digital . Other technologies are also possible, such as mechanical, hydraulic and optical. Telemetry may be commutated to allow

3577-486: The materials exposure experiment in the cargo bay to assist with the design and construction of future spacecraft. The five white stars and one yellow star of the insignia symbolize the flight's numerical designation in the Space Transportation System 's mission sequence. The insignia also depicts the triangular SPAS-ORFEUS on the right. The crew of STS-51 were followed by a camera crew from Channel 4 from

3650-716: The most efficient use of energy. Such systems also facilitate predictive maintenance . Many resources need to be distributed over wide areas. Telemetry is useful in these cases, since it allows the logistics system to channel resources where they are needed, as well as provide security for those assets; principal examples of this are dry goods, fluids, and granular bulk solids. Dry goods, such as packaged merchandise, may be tracked and remotely monitored, tracked and inventoried by RFID sensing systems, barcode reader , optical character recognition (OCR) reader, or other sensing devices—coupled to telemetry devices, to detect RFID tags , barcode labels or other identifying markers affixed to

3723-483: The operator's interface being centralized in a Network Management Terminal (NMT), which could be collocated at a GES, or anywhere in the Internet. The system was operational and used for experiments for 127 months, instead of the originally planned 24–48 months. In all, 53 terminals were built and used by more than 100 experimenters to test ACTS abilities. In Nov. 1997 a record data rate of 520 Mbit/s TCP/IP throughput

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3796-430: The patient is suffering from an acute (or dangerous) condition. Systems are available in medical-surgical nursing for monitoring to rule out a heart condition, or to monitor a response to antiarrhythmic medications such as amiodarone . A new and emerging application for telemetry is in the field of neurophysiology, or neurotelemetry. Neurophysiology is the study of the central and peripheral nervous systems through

3869-469: The recording of bioelectrical activity, whether spontaneous or stimulated. In neurotelemetry (NT) the electroencephalogram (EEG) of a patient is monitored remotely by a registered EEG technologist using advanced communication software. The goal of neurotelemetry is to recognize a decline in a patient's condition before physical signs and symptoms are present. Neurotelemetry is synonymous with real-time continuous video EEG monitoring and has application in

3942-415: The technology allow for sharing knowledge and best practices across the organization. In software, telemetry is used to gather data on the use and performance of applications and application components, e.g. how often certain features are used, measurements of start-up time and processing time, hardware, application crashes, and general usage statistics and/or user behavior. In some cases, very detailed data

4015-426: The telemetry equipment reports the location of the vehicle, enabling law enforcement to deactivate the engine and lock the doors when it is stopped by responding officers. In some countries, telemetry is used to measure the amount of electrical energy consumed. The electricity meter communicates with a concentrator , and the latter sends the information through GPRS or GSM to the energy provider's server. Telemetry

4088-564: The telemetry from Soviet missile tests by building a telemeter of their own to intercept the radio signals and hence learn a great deal about Soviet capabilities. Telemeters are the physical devices used in telemetry. It consists of a sensor , a transmission path, and a display, recording, or control device. Electronic devices are widely used in telemetry and can be wireless or hard-wired, analog or digital . Other technologies are also possible, such as mechanical, hydraulic and optical. Telemetering information over wire had its origins in

4161-472: The term for the rangefinder telemeter might be replaced with tacheometer . In the 1930s use of electrical telemeters grew rapidly. The electrical strain gauge was widely used in rocket and aviation research and the radiosonde was invented for meteorological measurements. The advent of World War II gave an impetus to industrial development and henceforth many of these telemeters became commercially viable. Carrying on from rocket research, radio telemetry

4234-590: The tracks, can also verify whether or not there are any problems with the overhead power supply (catenary), where it is installed. Dedicated rail inspection companies, such as Sperry Rail , have their own customized rail cars and rail-wheel equipped trucks, that use a variety of methods, including lasers, ultrasound, and induction (measuring resulting magnetic fields from running electricity into rails) to find any defects. Most activities related to healthy crops and good yields depend on timely availability of weather and soil data. Therefore, wireless weather stations play

4307-410: The transmission of multiple data streams in a fixed frame . The beginning of industrial telemetry lies in the steam age , although the sensor was not called telemeter at that time. Examples are James Watt 's (1736-1819) additions to his steam engines for monitoring from a (near) distance such as the mercury pressure gauge and the fly-ball governor . Although the original telemeter referred to

4380-430: The transportation industry, telemetry provides meaningful information about a vehicle or driver's performance by collecting data from sensors within the vehicle. This is undertaken for various reasons ranging from staff compliance monitoring, insurance rating to predictive maintenance. Telemetry is used to link traffic counter devices to data recorders to measure traffic flows and vehicle lengths and weights. Telemetry

4453-456: The two astronauts were cleaning up, a balky tool box lid slowed them down when they had to pry it free and close it for Discovery ' s trip home. The toolbox lid stretched the spacewalk by about 45 minutes over what had been planned, with Newman and Walz logging a total seven hours, five minutes, and twenty-eight seconds of time outside the vehicle. This was the 112th EVA performed in the history of human spaceflight. In-cabin payloads included

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4526-439: The waive off of deploy, the crew changed the shuttle's S-Band communications system to a lower frequency and restored two-way communications with the ground. The two-way communications had been lost for a total of about 45 minutes. After consulting the crew, flight controllers began immediately planning for the second, and ultimately successful deploy. During the deployment on September 12, 1993, two Super*Zip explosive cords in

4599-662: Was achieved using ATM between several ground stations via ACTS. On May 31, 2000 the ACTS experiments program officially came to a close, but the system continued to support experiments until it was deactivated on April 28, 2004. Advanced Communications Technology Satellite STS-51 was a NASA Space Shuttle Discovery mission that launched the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) in September 1993. Discovery's 17th flight also featured

4672-509: Was also a source for the Soviets, who operated listening ships in Cardigan Bay to eavesdrop on UK missile tests performed in the area . In factories, buildings and houses, energy consumption of systems such as HVAC are monitored at multiple locations; related parameters (e.g., temperature) are sent via wireless telemetry to a central location. The information is collected and processed, enabling

4745-537: Was built by Lockheed Martin Astro Space for NASA in East Windsor, NJ. The satellite was deployed on flight day 1 and served as a test bed for advanced experimental communications satellite concepts and technology. Its Transfer Orbit Stage (TOS) upper stage fired on time 45 minutes after deployment and boosted the satellite to geosynchronous orbit on the first day of the mission. The first attempt to deploy ACTS

4818-455: Was delayed by the crew when two-way communications were lost with Mission Control Center (MCC) about 30 minutes before the deploy time. Flight controllers could receive telemetry and voice communications from Discovery , however the crew could not receive communications from the ground. The crew waived off the 2:43 p.m. CDT deploy when they did not receive a "go" from MCC as called for in preflight plans made for just such an occurrence. After

4891-519: Was fabricated by Kayser-Threde in Germany ; France's REOSC provided the 1 m (3 ft 3 in) f/2.5 mirror. The separate 950–1150 Å Interstellar Medium Absorption Profile Spectrograph (IMAPS) added to the observations of hot galactic objects and the interstellar medium at high spectral resolution (240,000). Other payloads were Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR's) Surface Effective Sample Monitor and Canada's IMAX Cargo Bay Camera, which

4964-506: Was launched on STS-51 on September 12, 1993, by the Space Shuttle Discovery , and occupied a geostationary orbit at 100° west longitude. It was the first communication satellite to operate in the 20–30 GHz frequency band ( K a band ), with 30 GHz uplink and 20 GHz downlink signals. The satellite incorporated advanced on-board switching and multiple dynamically-hopping spot-beam antennas for selected areas of

5037-438: Was mounted in an overhead window where limited field of view (FoV) and signal attenuation from the glass severely impacted receiver performance. Full triple-redundant 3-string GPS would not happen until 14 years later with STS-118 in 2007. STS-51 was notable for having been scrubbed three times on the launchpad, each time after the crew had boarded the spacecraft: The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS)

5110-416: Was moved to its final graveyard orbit at 105.2° west longitude – where it poses minimal risk to other satellites – after NASA concluded in 2000 that it probably lacked the fuel to move to a higher graveyard orbit. Nevertheless, ACTS should not re-enter the atmosphere for thousands of years, according to Richard Krawczyk, the ACTS operations manager at Glenn Research Center. Another payload on this mission

5183-570: Was the Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (ORFEUS) telescope mounted on the Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS) payload carrier. ORFEUS was designed to provide information on how stars are born and how they die, while studying gaseous interstellar clouds . Also in the cargo bay was the Limited Duration space environment Candidate materials Exposure (LDCE). Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) began development of

5256-534: Was used routinely as space exploration got underway. Spacecraft are in a place where a physical connection is not possible, leaving radio or other electromagnetic waves (such as infrared lasers) as the only viable option for telemetry. During crewed space missions it is used to monitor not only parameters of the vehicle, but also the health and life support of the astronauts. During the Cold War telemetry found uses in espionage. US intelligence found that they could monitor

5329-578: Was used to film Discovery in orbit for the IMAX film Destiny in Space . A portion of this footage was also included in Space Station 3D . This was the fourth flight of the SPAS platform, of a total of seven during the space shuttle program. The SPAS-ORFEUS version was reflown on mission STS-80 in 1996. On September 16, 1993, spacewalkers James H. Newman and Carl E. Walz performed an extravehicular activity (EVA) designed to evaluate tools, tethers and

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