The laboratory's controllers have made changes in the plan for deploying the parachute, firing the retrorockets and inflating the air bags, based on lessons learned in the recent landing of the first rover, he said, and the shuttle mission managers were there to learn about making decisions based on new information acquired during missions.
"The new Firelink communications equipment means that when the new control centres are operational, it will be possible to more effectively deploy the nearest available and suitable fire appliance or special rescue vehicle to an incident.
Reports say that at present around 400 firefighters are currently deployed fighting the fire.
Crews from Droitwich, Bromsgrove and Northfield, from the West Midlands service, were deployed and the fire was under control by about 0745 BST.
At least 2,300 firefighters, 215 engines, 48 hand crews, 14 helicopters and six air tankers have deployed to the fire burning in rural Monterey County.
The Dubai government said firefighting squads from four Civil Defence stations have been deployed and the fire has been brought under control.
English said that after Fire Station 19 received a call at 7 08 p.m., eight fire engines, three helicopters and Forest Service crews were deployed to the fire, which was stopped after burning about a quarter of an acre.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, which deploys the island's fire appliances, sent five crews to the scene.
In the opinion of Eales, it "would have been of limited military value, compared with the boldly projecting towers of later castles" which allowed defenders to deploy flanking fire along the base of the walls.
