alb@alice.UucP (Adam L. Buchsbaum) (08/24/85)
Everything is going smoothly in the Discovery's launch countdown. Launch is scheduled for 0838 EDT this mornig. The weather outlook is excellent for the launch window.
kim@mips.UUCP (Kim DeVaughn) (08/26/85)
> Everything is going smoothly in the Discovery's launch countdown. > Launch is scheduled for 0838 EDT this mornig. The weather outlook > is excellent for the launch window. Ah well, its not nice to fool (or predict) what Mother Nature has in store (weekends seem to be especially prone to "reversals"). On the other hand, abort number two was due to YACM (yet another computer malfunction). I have no details of what happened, but I did hear on the news that NASA has scheduled upgrades for the shuttles' computer systems for ~1987. Does anyone have any info on these new machines? Also, anyone know when the contracts were let (I don't seem to remember hearing of any RPQ's), as that might provide a clue on the technology we can expect to see? The news story I saw said that NASA was "embarrassed" (that is the word he used) by the number of aborts due to computer malfunctions; anyone know the count? (Of 20 missions, 10 have had aborts due to ALL problems, according to the report.) Anyway, I see little to be embarrassed about given the complexity of the shuttle, high level of technology of its component parts (at least at design time), severe working environment(s), and limited Beta-test opportunities of the entire machine. I do hope that people with responsibility for "Star Wars"/SDI are listening though ..... (please, no flames to _this_ net). /kim -- UUCP: {decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!mips!kim DDD: 415-960-1200 USPS: MIPS Computer Systems Inc, 1330 Charleston Rd, Mt View, CA 94043
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (08/28/85)
> I have no details of what happened, but I did hear on the news that NASA > has scheduled upgrades for the shuttles' computer systems for ~1987. Something that surprised me about the computer malfunctions was that they apparently tested whether the redundant systems were synchronized by stopping both of them, making a dump, and comparing the dumps. This seemed very odd to me; don't they have any checks while they are running to verify that they are synchronized? Or was something lost in the news reporting (i.e., is it more complicated than that)? -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642 N sbezre ZnpHfre...