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ITT Industries Supports Successful Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn

Posted on: Tuesday, 6 July 2004, 06:00 CDT

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 6 /PRNewswire/ -- ITT Industries is a key player in the success of one of the most ambitious deep space missions ever attempted-the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)/NASA Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn.

Communicating with a spacecraft that is one and a half billion kilometers away is not easy. Signals received from the Cassini spacecraft can be as weak as a billionth of a billionth of a milli watt -- that's more than 20 billion times less than the power required for a digital wristwatch. JPL captures these whispers from space through the Deep Space Network (DSN), a global network of extremely sensitive 26 to 70 meter antennas that communicate with spacecraft exploring our solar system and beyond.

ITT Industries' Systems Division, headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, employs more than 450 people at their DSN project. ITT provides all necessary engineering and technical services to operate and maintain JPL's Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California's Mojave Desert and critical DSN facilities in Pasadena, CA. ITT also provides problem analysis and resolution, network engineering and planning support, and logistics support for both of these facilities and for the DSN facilities in Madrid, Spain and Canberra, Australia. These spacecraft tracking facilities are solely responsible for navigation, command and data acquisition for the NASA high earth orbiters and deep space missions, including the Cassini-Huygens mission.

On June 30, 2004, the Cassini spacecraft successfully completed a 96-minute main engine burn that enabled it to enter Saturn's orbit. This marks the end of a 7-year journey through the solar system. Cassini will orbit Saturn for 4 years and send valuable scientific data back to Earth through the DSN.

ITT will remain in the forefront of this mission by operating, maintaining and supporting key elements of the DSN. This includes supporting the Huygens probe release, which will enter the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, later this year and eventually descend via parachute onto its surface.

ITT Industries, Systems Division (http://www.ittsystems.com/) provides select Government, commercial and international customers value-added, total worldwide systems solutions for their turn-key satellite earth terminals, air and missile defense, communications, command and control, range, spacelift and surveillance needs, as well as full logistics life cycle support services for facilities and equipment.

ITT Industries, Inc. (http://www.itt.com/) supplies advanced technology products and services in key markets including: fluid and water management including water treatment; defense communication, opto-electronics, information technology and services; electronic interconnects and switches;

and other specialty products. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, the company generated $5.63 billion in 2003 sales.

In addition to the New York Stock Exchange, ITT Industries stock is traded on the Midwest, Pacific, London, Paris and Frankfurt exchanges.

ITT Industries

CONTACT: Ted Wright of ITT Industries, +1-719-637-5745,ted.wright@itt.com

Web site: http://www.itt.com/http://www.ittsystems.com/

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