minas@foxvax1.UUCP (P.C. Minasian ) (02/27/84)
Does anyone have any detailed information about the use of the Hewlett-Packard HP41 calculator on board the shuttle missions? I'm particularly interested in what functions it is expected to perform as well as the extent to which the 41 provides an easy, uncomplicated interface to the astronauts, i.e, do the functions performed involve multiple keystrokes and/or do they make use of functions keys? Finally, how dependent are they upon the display capabilities of the 41 (I suspect not much, because the 41 does not have a very flexible or elaborate display)? Beyond these questions, any insight into their software design and hardware interface would be much appreciated! Obviously, NASA doesn't have to very concerned with "user-friendliness" (do I hate that expression!) since they can rely on trained and intelligent operators; I'm trying to evaluate the applicability of the HP41 as a compact and portable tool for trained but not necessarily very intelligent operators; this is the cause for my concern with the 41's human interface capabilities. -phil minasian decvax!genrad!wjh12!foxvax1!minas
rjnoe@ihlts.UUCP (Roger Noe) (02/29/84)
The information I had on the use of HP-41's on shuttle missions was that two were (and maybe are) carried on every flight. Both had four memory modules each (this was before the advent of both Quad memory modules and the HP-41CV), and were accompanied by card readers, magnetic program cards, extra batteries and memory modules. One HP-41C was dedicated to the AOS (acquisition of signal) program, the other to CG (center of gravity), both about 1000 steps long. The AOS program was started at launch, and told the pilots when the next ground station signal could be picked up and on which frequency. The CG program would be used just before deorbit to determine how much fuel should be burned off from the OMS for proper reentry attitude. I have heard that the use of HP-41's would expand on the shuttle, being used with various peripherals and for other tasks (such as targeting, to land at an alternate runway). More about these when net.micro.hp starts up. Roger Noe ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe