NSGDatacom’s Netrix 2210 Voice/Data Gateway Plays Crucial Part in Launch of ESA Probe

CHANTILLY, VA — March 24, 2004 — NSGDatacom is pleased to announce that the Netrix 2210 voice/data gateway played a crucial part in the successful launch of the European Space Agency (ESA) Rosetta cometary probe on March 2, 2004.

The Netrix 2210 carried mission critical voice and data traffic between the launch site in Kourou, Guyana (both as part of the probe ground equipment near the launch pad and in the ESA antenna tracking station, Kourou Diane), the Deep Space Tracking Station in New Norcia, Australia and the control center in Darmstadt, Germany. As the Rosetta mission progresses, the equipment will be used in both terrestrial ground station communications and spacecraft control operations.

The ESA probe will reach the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014, after completing a complex maneuver that includes three orbits around the Earth, and one around Mars.

For more than ten years, ESA has utilized the Netrix 2210 bandwidth-efficient, high quality voice product and fault tolerant Netrix multi-protocol switches to support mission critical command and control applications. The Netrix family of products have repeatedly proven their ability to transfer critical data necessary to achieve mission success.

Rich Yalen, CEO of NSG, said that he is, “pleased with our continued success with the European Space Agency program and looking forward to an ongoing relationship.”

About ESA
The European Space Agency is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe. By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its fifteen member states, ESA is able to undertake programs and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. Additional information about ESA can be found at www.esa.int.

About NSGDatacom
NSG is a privately owned telecommunications company that designs, manufactures, sells and supports a wide range of industry leading voice and data communications products for access, concentration, routing and switching in critical carrier and enterprise applications. NSG completed the acquisition of the products and intellectual property of Nx Networks and Advanced Switching Communications in 2002. NSG products are deployed in over 100 countries worldwide. Customers include corporate, financial, government, and telephone company networks. Additional information about NSG can be found at www.nsgdata.com.