Fri, Apr 16, 2010
NCTAMS PAC Helps NASA Lift Spirits Aboard ISS
Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station
Pacific's (NCTAMS Pac) Makalapa (Pearl Harbor) Tech Control helped
a NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) talk
with an active duty Navy family member stationed in Japan over a
video teleconference (VTC) April 10.
The VTC is part of the Private Family Conferences (PFC), a
long-standing NASA program for family morale during long duration
space missions.
This VTC connected the Fleet and Family Services Center (FFSC)
at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, with NASA and the ISS.
Makalapa became involved to provide a bridge to change NASA's
Internet Protocol (IP) connection to the Integrated Services
Digital Network (ISDN) connection Atsugi's FFSC uses for VTCs.
Officials with NASA said they believe it is the first time the
Navy has assisted NASA in its PFCs. "[This is] not much different
from the type of support we provide to our Sailors in the fleet and
their families when Sailors are deployed in middle of the ocean,"
said Senior Chief Information Systems Technician Charmain Stanley,
NCTAMS Pac Makalapa Tech Control. "It helps maintain morale."
According to Atsugi FFSC's VTC coordinator, William Driscoll,
attempts to connect his VTC directly to NASA, point to point failed
and NCTAM Pac's connection tested successfully. The results on
April 10 exceeded his expectations. "This is the best quality video
and audio I've seen in almost three years of doing VTCs at the
Fleet and Family Support Center," Driscoll said. "I have the utmost
confidence that all our future VTCs will be as successful as this
one was."
FFSC plans to continue the VTCs while the astronaut is aboard
ISS.
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