This Echo is READ ONLY !   NO Un-Authorized Messages Please!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

European Space Agency

Press Release

British schools are using satellites
====================================
7 March 2003

Now more than 1000 schools have signed up to the broadband educational 
content provider Espresso Broadband Ltd. The company uses satellite 
technology to deliver content for both pupils and teachers across 
England and Wales. 

The Rosetta Primary, a 600 pupil school in Newham, England represents
a milestone in the use of satellite applications in school education
in Britain. It is the 1000th school to subscribe to Espresso Broadband 
Ltd. The company was initially partly funded by ESA under a project 
called "Espresso for Schools" in the period 1999-2000.

Unlike other educational content providers, Espresso uses satellite
technology to deliver its weekly updates to schools. This means that
the information is dynamic and up-to-date. Satellite technology is
also the perfect solution for delivering schools with video-rich
educational material because it is so much faster than terrestrial
networks and can reach remote areas where a terrestrial connection is
not an option.

A satellite dish and Espresso box (see diagram) are required to
receive and store the information that is broadcast via satellite.
The Espresso box is a web server which contains Espresso for Schools.
Once the information has been retrieve by the Espresso box it is
instantly available to any computer that is connected to the network
within the school.

Espresso's multimedia educational service is fully-indexed and
searchable. It features video clips from television, articles from
newspapers and specially filmed video from Espresso's in-house
production team. It delivers materials that help teachers teach and
students to learn. Teachers can access information and tools that have 
been directly linked to national curriculum guidelines and
requirements. 

 - End of File -
================

---