@S1-A.ARPA,@MIT-MC.ARPA:jim@TYCHO.ARPA (07/08/85)
From: jim@TYCHO.ARPA (James B. Houser)
Hi
Thanx for the numerous replies on my question about the STS
computers. Those beasties are really grotesque!! A number of people
mentioned rumors of a plan to upgrade the system but no concrete
pointer emerged from the discussion. Any words from NASA types out
there?
There were also a lot of interesting responses to the "money
to burn" interstellar probe thought experiment. The general consensus
seemed to be that it could not be done given the design constraints or
if so just barely. Most people proposed a laser driven light sail
propulsion system though several other ideas were suggested too. What
would happen if we applied these same ideas to designing a fast and
simple probe to Pluto/Charon? Any thoughts?
Jim Houser (jim@tycho)
-------eugene@ames.UUCP (Eugene Miya) (07/12/85)
PLEASE MOVE THE DISCUSSION OF IMAX/OMNIMAX INTERIA TO net.movies or net.rec.photo. Does its really belong here? > From: jim@TYCHO.ARPA (James B. Houser) > > Hi > > Thanx for the numerous replies on my question about the STS > computers. Those beasties are really grotesque!! A number of people > mentioned rumors of a plan to upgrade the system but no concrete > pointer emerged from the discussion. Any words from NASA types out > there? > > Jim Houser (jim@tycho) > I don't think are any plans in the immediate lifetime of the shuttle to upgrade them. As others have pointed out there were technology freezes in the early 1970s which 'forced' this. Payload computers will certainly change, but don't expect these. This is called "if it works don't fix it." Oh hum. On an added note: on a recent trip to the Dryden Landing site, I saw a little case in the visitor center there showing onboard avonics history: 1960, 1970, 1980s and sample electronics. The 1980s [future] were represented with Intel 8080s [it's the numbers right?] :-) Service technologies to aerodynamics are unfortunately always oing to take a backseat. [Until some one leaps ahead.] Dryden has a much better museum and gift shop than Ames. --eugene miya NASA Ames Research Center {hplabs,ihnp4,dual,hao,decwrl,allegra}!ames!aurora!eugene emiya@ames-vmsb.ARPA