Agilent Technologies' Software-Development Tools Selected by General Dynamics to Test Mars Exploration Rovers' Communication Equipment.Business Editors/High-Tech WritersPALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 2004 Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :A) today announced that General Dynamics C4 Systems selected its system-development software to test communication equipment used in the Mars Exploration Rovers. General Dynamics C4 Systems, formerly General Dynamics Decision Systems, supplied the Small Deep Space Transponders (SDSTs) that provide the direct Earth-communications link for the rovers. Agilent's Visual Engineering Environment (VEE) Pro provided the interface that allowed technicians to control most of the test equipment, as well as the SDSTs, with just the click of a few buttons. The Mars Exploration Rovers, called Spirit and Opportunity, began the quest to help scientists understand the history of water on Mars Psychedelic rock and electronic music group from Quebec City (Québec, Canada), Water on Mars (WOM) is the instrument of its leader Philippe Navarro, guitarist, vocalist, arranger, producer and principal author and composer of the trio. after landing on the planet in January 2004. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory “JPL” redirects here. For other uses, see JPL (disambiguation). Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a NASA research center located in the cities of Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge, near Los Angeles, California, USA. (JPL (language) JPL - JAM Programming Language. ), a division of the California Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology, at Pasadena, Calif.; originally for men, became coeducational in 1970; founded 1891 as Throop Polytechnic Institute; called Throop College of Technology, 1913–20. in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover project for NASA's Office of Space Science in Washington, D.C. "Accurate testing is critical in applications such as the NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. Mars Exploration Rovers, where only maximum performance ensures program success," said Mark Pierpoint, vice president of Agilent's Measurement and Analysis Software Group. "VEE Pro helps engineers in a broad range of industries develop accurate test systems quickly using a simple, open environment." Agilent VEE Pro controlled the test equipment rack and provided data logging, automated testing, and the command and telemetry interface for testing of the SDSTs, which provide vital communication links to and from Earth. There are also two SDSTs on board the Mars Odyssey orbiter, which relay data to and from the rovers. General Dynamics also uses VEE Pro to test another transponder product line for near-Earth satellites that use the tracking and data relay satellite A Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) is one of a network of communications satellites of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) used by NASA and other United States government agencies for communication to satellites or the International Space Station. system (TDRSS TDRSS Tracking & Data Relay Satellite System TDRSS Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Services ) and ground network S-Band signals. About Agilent VEE Pro Agilent VEE Pro is an easy-to-use, standards-based software environment that helps speed development of measurement and control, analysis, test-system and data-acquisition applications in industries including aerospace and defense, wireless and consumer electronics. Agilent VEE Pro intuitively simplifies all the tasks required for test system development. VEE Pro uses an open standard, graphical user interface graphical user interface (GUI) Computer display format that allows the user to select commands, call up files, start programs, and do other routine tasks by using a mouse to point to pictorial symbols (icons) or lists of menu choices on the screen as opposed to having to environment to handle all common measurement tasks in design and manufacturing, including connecting instruments, measurement, analysis and reporting. Further Information -- Information about the Agilent VEE Pro is available at www.agilent.com/find/vee. -- Information about the Mars Exploration Rover project is available at http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov. About Agilent Technologies Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 28,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $6.1 billion in fiscal year 2003. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com. NOTE TO EDITORS: Further technology, corporate citizenship and executive news is available on the Agilent news site at www.agilent.com/go/news. |
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