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Air Force Extends Plug-and-Play Spacecraft

Posted by timothy on from the can-we-get-an-analogy-upgrade? dept.

coondoggie writes "Looking to build strategic satellites in days if need be, rather than months, the Air Force is pushing forward with what it calls plug-and-play spacecraft. This week it awarded a $500,000 order to Northrop Grumman to begin designing the plug-and-play spacecraft 'bus' which will offer standard interfaces for a variety of payload components, much like a laptop computer that immediately recognizes new hardware when it's plugged in, Northrop stated. The order was awarded under a contract that has a ceiling of $200 million."

4 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. Finally by HangingChad · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Not only do they need to do this with spacecraft and satellites, they need to do it with weapons systems across the board. Gun mounts, missile launchers, hard points, radar systems, everything. Let the separate military branches keep their identity and mission focus, but make sure all the hardware they're using works together.

    An effort long overdue and a good place to start.

    --
    That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
  2. here's a crazy question by ChipMonk · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Could it be too much to ask, that this bus conform to an openly-specified standard, e.g., Wishbone?

    I'm not saying it has to be Wishbone. I'm just thinking that it might be nice to avoid re-inventing the wheel. This could also have the side-effect of lowering the cost to the government (and the taxpayer who actually pays for it).

    1. Re:here's a crazy question by bertoelcon · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Could it be too much to ask, that this bus conform to an openly-specified standard, e.g., Wishbone?

      If it was a well known standard it would probably be known by the Air Force's enemies and they could use it against them. It would be nice to not reinvent the wheel, but I don't think the military puts that thought very high.

      --
      Anything can be found funny, from a certain point of view.
  3. USB Analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Maybe they should just use USB. I mean...it works, why spend another billion dollars to reinvent it?
    And they could always use those cheap chinese webcams on the next generation airplanes.