Update on the Web Interface for Telescience

An Internet-based software system, called the "Web Interface for Telescience" (WITS), enables geographically dispersed scientists to participate in scientific exploration of remote planets by use of instrumented landers and robotic vehicles called "rovers." WITS at a previous stage of development was described in "Web Interface for Telescience" (NPO-19934), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 21, No. 8 (August 1997), page 34. Since that description was published, major additional features have been incorporated. Originally intended for use in a rover mission on Mars in the year 2001, WITS reached sufficient maturity early enough to have limited use during the 1997 Mars Pathfinder mission. Also, WITS will be used in the 1998 Mars Polar Lander mission.