Dinodig H44135 LR
2013-05-23
: Hughes Dinodig H44135 Lr Dinodig_H44135_LR 8593f900-a5ef-0130-fedc-4040a5068ef5 uploads
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The Dinodig Project—HughesNet Satellite Broadband
Aids Dinosaur Bone Diggers
Southwestern Adventist University
Every June since 1997, Southwestern Adventist University’s
Dinodig Project has sent research teams to eastern Wyoming
to excavate dinosaur bones. The isolated quarry site has one
of the world’s densest dinosaur bone beds; the remains of as
many as 10,000 animals are buried there. The University is
conducting world class taphonomic research, which studies
the precise location of dinosaur bones, to understand how
the dinosaurs died. This research requires sending data and
photos from the remote site back to Southwestern Adventist
University daily.
But lack of connectivity is a serious problem on a remote
ranch one hour from the nearest town in the least populated
county in America. Without a reliable broadband connection,
it is virtually impossible for the Dinodig team to upload their
findings or send important photos to the University. The
diggers would otherwise have to save their research on rare
species like the newly discovered Nanotyrannus lancensis,
and wait months to categorize, analyze, and authenticate
their findings back at the University.
Waiting was not an option. Justin Woods, technical
director for the Dinodig Project, explored a number of
possible Internet services, including one-way satellite
communications, but that would only get information from
the University to them. To send information, he looked into
installing a phone line, but that solution was cost-prohibitive.
Cellular service was also eliminated as an option since
the only way to get good reception was to hike up into the
surrounding hills.
In 2003, Woods looked to the sky for a solution and found
HughesNet® high-speed satellite Internet service. Unlike
terrestrial solutions, satellite broadband does not rely on
cable or phone wires, making affordable broadband services
available to consumers and small businesses everywhere,
regardless of geography, at speeds comparable to DSL.
The compact dish needs only to have a clear view of the
southern sky.
Digging for Broadband
Global positioning satellite (GPS) technology is a tool to
record the positions of bones once they’re found. The diggers
photograph the bones, record the GPS coordinates, and
then export the data to the University’s campus computers
in Keene, Texas. A computer program then recreates how
all the bones looked in the ground. This imaging allows
scientists to better depict the shape, size, and overall look of
the dinosaur, which greatly aids in properly categorizing the
species.
“I cannot overstate how well HughesNet is working for
us, especially this season,” said Woods. He is more
satisfied than ever with his HughesNet service since his
equipment was upgraded and his service is now delivered
over the SPACEWAY® 3 satellite system, the world’s first
commercial satellite with onboard switching and routing.
“The data collected by the scientists is irreplaceable, and
the HughesNet service enables us to send daily backups to
You can follow the diggers’ progress at
dinodig.swau.edu
Unlike terrestrial solutions, satellite
broadband does not rely on cable
or phone wires, making affordable
broadband services available to
consumers and small businesses
everywhere, regardless of geography,
at speeds comparable to DSL.
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Soutwestern Adventist University
11717 Exploration Lane Germantown, MD 20876 USA
www.HughesNet.com
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©2010 Hughes Network Systems. LLC. All information is subject to change. All rights reserved.
CS 573 SEPT 10
H44135 ID
For additional information about HughesNet service, please call 1-800-780-1530
or visit our Web site at www.HughesNet.com
About Hughes
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in providing broadband satellite networks and services for
large enterprises, governments, small businesses, and consumers. HughesNet® encompasses all broadband solutions and
managed services from Hughes, bridging the best of satellite and terrestrial technologies. Its broadband satellite products are
based on global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI, and ITU standards organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A, and
GMR-1. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 2.2 million systems to customers in over 100 countries. Headquartered outside
Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes maintains sales and support offices worldwide. Hughes is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Hughes Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: HUGH).
“Even with 30 people using the system
at the same time, the stability and
speed of HughesNet has been great.
The satellite link is our most vital link.
It’s irreplaceable.”
the University to ensure that all our findings are properly
archived. HughesNet also gives us a way to spread the
excitement of our dig to the general public and recruit new
volunteers.”
Utilizing their HughesNet connection, the Dinodiggers post
daily video blogs on YouTube to give followers a sense of
what it’s really like to be on a dinosaur dig. The team also
strings together hundreds of images into a single panorama
that is posted to the Web in an online dinosaur museum.
“The great thing about HughesNet is that it not only keeps
us in contact with our University, but it also gives us a way to
keep in touch with the outside world, and most importantly,
our loved ones.”
Digging up the Past but Staying Connected to the
Present
Broadband satellite Internet service proved to be a good
recruitment and morale tool for the project as well. Prior to
HughesNet, when the diggers went out on a dig, they kissed
their families goodbye and spoke to them maybe once a
week, since the nearest town with Internet connectivity is
one hour away, and obtaining cell phone reception is a roll of
the dice.
“It would be much harder to recruit volunteers if they just
went into a black hole for a month,” said Woods. “But with
HughesNet, they can check email, go on Facebook, and talk
over the phone via Skype.”
Occasionally, intense weather conditions prevent work in the
quarries. When this happens, many of the participants use
the time to catch up on email and browse the Internet.
“Even with 30 people using the system at the same time,
the stability and speed of HughesNet has been great,”
added Woods. “The satellite link is our most vital link.
It’s irreplaceable.”