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Elements of the High-Performance Computing and Communications Program:

Computational Aerosciences (CAS)

Accelerates the availability of high-performance computing hardware and software to the U.S. aerospace community for its use in design processes.

Remote Exploration and Experimentation (REE)

Extends supercomputing capabilities developed by industry into routine use in outer space, reducing the mass, size and power consumption of computers used in space.

Earth and Space Sciences (ESS)

Builds an assortment of computer simulated models that combine complex Earth and space science disciplines.

Learning Technologies Project (LT)

Offers NASA science and engineering to the educational community across the Internet.

NASA Research and Education Network (NREN)

Extends U.S. Technological leadership in computer communications by research and development advancing leading-edge networking technology and services.


From the program manager

Throughout NASA we are vitally aware that the researchers, astronauts, scientists, artists and engineers of tomorrow are students today. Establishing the connection between students, teachers and NASA is the prime directive of the Learning Technologies (LT) Project. In this issue we highlight some of the LT connections.

In March, a collaboration between NASA and CNES—the French space agency—combined broadcasting with the Internet and marked LT's expansion to Europe. First lady Hillary Clinton was on hand to witness a demonstration of how advanced technologies will spread Internet-based educational opportunities worldwide through low-bandwidth, low-cost, off-the-shelf technology.

Two other LT projects highlighted in this issue are Aero Design Team Online and the NeurOn project. The Design Team sponsored a web-based contest in which K-12 kids drew pictures or wrote essays about what characteristics they thought aircraft of the future should have.

The NeurOn project uses the NASA Neurolab mission to foster connections and communication between NASA personnel and students across what may be the greatest connector of all time—the Internet.

Making connections of another kind, researchers are attempting to more precisely characterize the global climate system. A team from Goddard Space Flight Center develops techniques to help make better climate predictions despite imperfect tools and imperfect information.

The computers of the future must be many times faster than those of today. A team of researchers led by Jet Propulsion Laboratory are developing a hybrid of optical communications, holographic storage and superconducting processors that may result in a computer architecture 1,000 times faster than its conventional counterparts.

A major theme of this issue of INSIGHTS is learning; we hope it contributes to yours.

Bill Feiereisen