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The Ancient Computers Powering the Space Race

An anonymous reader writes "Think that the exploration of space is a high tech business? Technology dating back to the Apollo moon landings is still used by Nasa mission control for comms and the 1980s 386 processors that keep the International Space Station aloft."

8 of 253 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Best platform for the job by toygeek · · Score: 4, Funny

    I agree 100%! I'd go with something more time proven like Windows ME. They didn't call it "Millenium Edition" for nothing!

  2. Wait a minute... by axx · · Score: 4, Funny

    If the stuff in space is from the seventies, this means it's not running Free and Open Source Software ! Proprietary alert, space stuff doesn't run Linux!

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  3. Re:Makes sense by c0lo · · Score: 1, Funny

    Given how wonky IT and communication upgrades can be, it makes sense to keep these systems the same for as long as possible.

    Where we'd all be without them (obligatory)?

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  4. Re:Makes sense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Is that extra apostrophe also custom made? That's the only explanation I can see for writing IT IS when the possessive ITS is what you need.

  5. In other news by OzPeter · · Score: 5, Funny

    My car uses 100 year old internal combustion technology.

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  6. Re:Makes sense by memojuez · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wouldn't that require an infinite number of monkeys at an infinite number of terminals?

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  7. Re:Makes sense by imakemusic · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, you're thinking of IRC.

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  8. Re:This is news? by The+Snowman · · Score: 2, Funny

    The die size is larger, the clock speeds slower, etc. With fewer traces and slower signals, any interference on the wires is far less likely to cause incorrect computations. It's not just that they're hardened, it's that even if radiation gets in there, 1 + 1 is still 99.9999% likely to equal 3.

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