The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the University NAVSTAR Consortium (UNAVCO) Boulder Facility both on behalf on NASA collaborated with Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) and several overseas institutions to utilize Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology in the best interests of a multi-disciplinary science community. By integrating high accuracy GPS and meteorological sensors with seismic installations, researchers now have an opportunity to investigate geological and tectonic events using several data sets. It is our hope that the scientific value of data from collocated instruments will be greater than individual data sets in differing locations. In addition, the cost share reduces the fiscal burden of each organization without sacrificing science goals. VSAT technology is particularly suited to areas that lack commercial or private Internet infrastructure but would otherwise be good candidates for providing sensor data, for reasons of geographic or geological uniqueness. For these locations, VSAT is currently the only viable solution for real-time or near real-time data transfer. VSAT collaborations have demonstrated the feasibility of operating solar powered installations in remote areas and have produced new knowledge and technology achievements for future remote GPS/Seismic installations. Great thanks and acknowledgments are also due to the various host organizations for help in accommodating and facilitating the installation of these VSAT stations.
Article ID: 212
Created: December 12, 2008
Last Updated: December 12, 2008
Author: Victoria Andreatta
Online URL: https://kb.unavco.org/article/unavco-iris-nasa-collaborative-effort-to-utilize-vsat-technology-for-remote-data-transfer-poster-2002-212.html