AT&T has been selected by NASA to provide a high-speed virtual private network intended to connect the radio antennas of a scientific telecommunications system that supports the agency’s interplanetary spacecraft missions.
The company said Wednesday its VPN technology will work to increase the Deep Space Network‘s data transmission capacity up to three times faster than its current bandwidth without the need for hardware upgrades.
“This is the latest technology enhancement we have brought to NASA in our more than 20 year relationship,” said Mike Leff, vice president of AT&T’s global public sector solutions business for civilian agencies.
Leff added the company aims to help NASA explore the universe with technology.
The Deep Space Network is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and consists of an international array of radio antennas designed to support radar and radio astronomy observations.