enno@technix.oz.au (Enno Davids) (03/17/91)
In article <1991Mar13.170247.3719@omews63.intel.com> colwell@ichips.intel.com (Robert Colwell) writes: >In article <1991Mar7.010752.10632@agate.berkeley.edu> jwl@garnet.berkeley.edu (James Wilbur Lewis) writes: >>...watch their data get turned into a worthless pile of iron oxide if >>the spacecraft changes attitude while the drives are spinning! > >In the "for what it's worth" category, I submit the following. In the >early 80's somebody bought a Perq graphics workstation for use in pursuing >his dream of winning the America's Cup sailing prize. At the time we >figured he was doing some kind of graphical modelling of the hull or >something. Turns out the guy had the whole machine, Winchester disk and >all, mounted in a gimbal in the boat itself, and he was using the computer This was also the case in the America's Cup races held in Fremantle (that is the second last time, not the most recent). At least one of the (losing) Australian syndicates had a super-micro on board which advised the skipper on how optimum his sail settings were. (Horizontal stripes across the sails were digitised from a masthead camera and correlated with wind angle, angle of ocean currents, and whatever else seemed relevant.) There was also a real-time telemetry link to the shore and some other goodies. From (very hazy) memory, DEC was somehow involved with the syndicate (partial sponsor?, partner?) and the equipment consisted of ruggedised Microvaxes in each boat and some more substantial facilities on-shore. For reference, Fremantle has almost guaranteed strong winds and the non-flat seas that come with them at the time of year the races were held. The equipment wasn't out for a quiet Sunday sail and of course, neither were the crew! If you can develop a $200K fax machine for Shuttle conditions I am sure that a cushioned hard disk mounting bracket is within the capabilities of modern engineering practice. All this is of course barely space related and may be worth dropping here. Enno. ------- Enno Davids TechNIX Consulting Services P/L. 37 Harold St. East Hawthorn 3123 Phone: +61 3 670 7878 enno@technix.oz.au Australia Fax: +61 3 670 3471 #include <Usual disclaimers, obligatory joke, etc.>