This proposal requests funds for a three year commitment (2010 through 2012) to support up to 18 UNOLS ships and 2 Polar Program Vessels with Inmarsat satellite internet services via Fleet Broadband systems. This represents services for up to 20 vessels. This proposal is a follow on to a successful pilot program funded by NSF in 2008-09. This service will serve as a backup to the HiSeasNet and as the primary communications system for vessels without HiSeasNet. WHOI proposes that this Fleet Broadband (FBB) program include commercial support from the FBB service provider for system maintenance and technical support for each of the 20 users in the system. Also included are support costs for management of the program.
Broader Impacts: The acquisition, maintenance and operation of shared-use instrumentation allows NSF-funded researchers from any US university or lab access to working, calibrated instruments for their research, reducing the cost of that research, and expanding the base of potential researchers.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Project Outcome Report: AWARD #OCE-0956734 2010 – 2012 Fleet Broadband (FBB) Operating Support Program Project Outcome and Findings Addressing Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts: This grant provided the funds to purchase FBB hardware, software, and data and voice services to the entire UNOLS fleet. Specifically the areas of coverage included: · FBB Data Service · FBB Antenna Procurement · FBB Maintenance and Technical Support · FBB Administrative Support · FBB Application Support · FBB Voice Service All hardware, software, and data and voice services were purchased and delivered within the budget of the grant. The grant provided the capacity of supporting up to seventy (70) research platforms with satellite communications. Pooling of the FBB bandwidth for use throughout the UNOLS fleet is the most affordable means to manage this satellite communication system. 34 systems and hundreds of NSF research projects were supported over this period of this grant. The projects supported by these FBB systems were peer-reviewed and rigorously evaluated for scientific and intellectual merit as an integral part of the NSF grant review and award process. The competitive nature of the award granting process ensured a very high level of intellectual merit. The knowledge gained and the discoveries made by the research programs supported by these platforms enhanced the understanding of the oceans and address a broad range of important scientific questions. The grant provided FBB systems that effectively communicate discoveries by science at sea to research laboratories and schools (grades K-12) throughout the USA and the world. Data has been up-loaded from sea through web-based approaches via FBB to scientists ashore. This collaboration enhanced the efforts of conducting science at sea. Real-time video streaming into classrooms across America has taken place using FBB systems supported by this program. These efforts have extended the sea-going experience from a few participants to thousands of students in classrooms across the country, as well as to the general public. These outreach programs represent cutting edge efforts to broaden the experience of conducting research at sea to every American. The FBB systems also enhance the safety of each of these ships by improving both the voice and data linkage between ship and shore. These broader impacts were achieved through the reliability and effectiveness of the FBB system funded by this grant. These intellectual endeavors broaden the understanding of the oceans, spur new questions, and confirm scientific theory, benefiting society at large. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE
