(CINCINNATI, Ohio--April 10, 2008) The Space Shuttle Endeavour last month delivered an array of specially modified Harris Corporation NEO® VR digital video recorders to the International Space Station (ISS) to help astronauts conduct a variety of scientific experiments.
The recorders were transported in the first delivered section of Kibo — a space module developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The NEO VR systems, which form part of the Image Processing Unit (IPU) developed by Chiyoda Advanced Solution Co., will record and store video images of experiments conducted at the ISS. Video from Kibo will be played back on NEO VR systems, downlinked through the IPU and monitored in real time at the Space Station Integration and Promotion Center at the Tsukuba Space Center in Japan. Harris made special modifications to the NEO VR systems that will allow crew to take removable hard disk drives back to earth to deliver large volumes of high-quality image data from space experiments.
“This project is a truly unique application of traditional broadcast technology and an exceptional testament to the innovation of our NEO VR disk recorder,” said Tim Thorsteinson, president of Harris Broadcast Communications. “I commend the Harris R&D team for designing a system that is reliable enough to perform in such a mission-critical environment and contribute to such an important international effort.”
The NEO VR systems were taken to the ISS in the Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section (ELM-PS), the first in a series of Kibo modules that will be delivered to the ISS during three different space shuttle flights and assembled on orbit. The NEO VR systems will be transferred to Kibo’s main experiment module (the Pressurized Module) after it is launched during the second assembly missions planned for May 2008.
The NEO® VR is a next-generation modular digital video recorder. Unlike other disk recorder products, which are generally bulky, standalone boxes, the NEO® VR is a full-featured digital video recorder packaged on a single module. The NEO VR system features dual onboard, high-capacity hard drives and offers a comprehensive array of interfaces for digital and analog video and audio, timecode and control. Leveraging the inherent advantages of the NEO® platform, the NEO VR system offers exceptional performance in a compact form factor, making it suitable for a variety of space-constrained applications such as the experiment module on the International Space Station.
The NEO VR digital video recorder is among the wide range of Harris solutions that optimize the channel release workflows of today’s broadcast operations.
Harris Broadcast Communications offers products, systems and services that provide interoperable workflow solutions that span the entire broadcast delivery chain. The Harris ONE approach brings together highly integrated and cost-effective products that are ideal for emerging media business models and for customers upgrading media operations to digital and high-definition services.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has annual revenue of almost $5 billion and 16,000 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at
http://www.harris.com.
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