Paper Session II-D - Establishing a Real-Time Multimedia Link to the Arctic

Abstract

On July 27th, 1998, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration\u27s (NASA) Learning Technologies (LT) Project and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) implemented the world\u27s first real-time multimedia link between the USCG Cutter Polar Star (Polar Star) located in the Gulf of Alaska and schools from as far west as Japan across the entire United States. This link allowed students to enjoy the benefits of leading-edge technology. The effort was built upon LT\u27s existing cadre of technology and was taken to a new height when placed aboard the Polar Star. The Polar Star was the second U.S. ship to implement a mobile high-speed data link connected to the Internet using lnmarsat via Intelsat 178° E. This technology was further developed to produce events from Ice Station Sheba located at 79° N