PEACESAT
The Pan-Pacific Education and Communication Experiments
by Satellite (PEACESAT) is a public service telecommunications program
that supports distance education learning, training, technology transfer
and other public service missions throughout the Pacific Basin. There
are currently 54 PEACESAT Sites in 22 countries throughout the Pacific
Basin. These sites share the use of 9 analog, simplex voice teleconferencing
and 3 full-duplex point-to-point voice mesh network circuits. The full-duplex
circuits also support 9.6 Kbps data communication rates. PEACESAT supports
its missions through the use of the GOES satellite communications network
under a Cooperative Agreement with the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The satellite
is provided through a Memorandum of Understanding with the NTIA, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA). PEACESAT uses a Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellite (GOES) owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). The GOES satellite has a pacific wide footprint.
The Kokee Tracking Station through an agreement provides telemetry,
tracking, and control with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA). (Refer to Exhibit A-1 for a graphical summary of network capabilities
and operations) Concerning efforts to expand telecommunications throughout
the region - Within the coming year, a number of infrastructure enhancements
will be added to the PEACESAT network, which will greatly enhance telecommunications
capabilities in the region. A new earth station will be installed at
the Guam PEACESAT station. Among other improvements, the new system
will allow for transmission rates up to an expected 56 Kps as opposed
to the current 9.6 Kps. Faster transmission rates will mean people in
the region will have much easier access to information via graphic based
Internet and real-time video. Also, the existing store and forward e-mail
system recently introduced in the eight pacific island jurisdictions
to be served by this project is also being greatly expanded. Within
three months, routers, more modems and telecommunications equipment
will be installed at each site. This will make it possible for more
users to access the system at the same time (see Exhibit A-2 on page
for a schematic of enhancements being installed.) Said simply, within
the next six months to a year, the technical infrastructure will be
in place and available for use in greatly expanding distance education
opportunities to people living in remote locations throughout the pacific
island region.
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