ITT Industries Supports Successful NASA Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn
ITT Industries is a
key player in the success of one of the most ambitious deep space missions
ever attempted-the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)/NASA Cassini-Huygens
mission to Saturn.
Communicating with a spacecraft that is one and a half billion kilometers
away is not easy. Signals received from the Cassini spacecraft can be as weak
as a billionth of a billionth of a milli watt — that’s more than 20 billion
times less than the power required for a digital wristwatch. JPL captures
these whispers from space through the Deep Space Network (DSN), a global
network of extremely sensitive 26 to 70 meter antennas that communicate with
spacecraft exploring our solar system and beyond.
ITT Industries’ Systems Division, headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO,
employs more than 450 people at their DSN project. ITT provides all necessary
engineering and technical services to operate and maintain JPL’s Goldstone
Deep Space Communications Complex in California’s Mojave Desert and critical
DSN facilities in Pasadena, CA. ITT also provides problem analysis and
resolution, network engineering and planning support, and logistics support
for both of these facilities and for the DSN facilities in Madrid, Spain and
Canberra, Australia. These spacecraft tracking facilities are solely
responsible for navigation, command and data acquisition for the NASA high
earth orbiters and deep space missions, including the Cassini-Huygens mission.
On June 30, 2004, the Cassini spacecraft successfully completed a
96-minute main engine burn that enabled it to enter Saturn’s orbit. This marks
the end of a 7-year journey through the solar system. Cassini will orbit
Saturn for 4 years and send valuable scientific data back to Earth through the
DSN.
ITT will remain in the forefront of this mission by operating, maintaining
and supporting key elements of the DSN. This includes supporting the Huygens
probe release, which will enter the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn’s largest
moon, later this year and eventually descend via parachute onto its surface.
ITT Industries, Systems Division (http://www.ittsystems.com) provides
select Government, commercial and international customers value-added, total
worldwide systems solutions for their turn-key satellite earth terminals, air
and missile defense, communications, command and control, range, spacelift and
surveillance needs, as well as full logistics life cycle support services for
facilities and equipment.
ITT Industries, Inc. (http://www.itt.com) supplies advanced technology
products and services in key markets including: fluid and water management
including water treatment; defense communication, opto-electronics,
information technology and services; electronic interconnects and switches;
and other specialty products. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, the company
generated $5.63 billion in 2003 sales.
In addition to the New York Stock Exchange, ITT Industries stock is traded
on the Midwest, Pacific, London, Paris and Frankfurt exchanges.
