Space shuttle discovery

[Master Splinter]

The shuttle computers were IBM System/4Pi - radiation hardened avionics computers descended from IBM System/360 mainframes. These computers were also used in F-15, B1 and B-52 aircraft and featured ferrite core memory.

[ian]

The shuttle computers were IBM System/4Pi - radiation hardened avionics computers descended from IBM System/360 mainframes. These computers were also used in F-15, B1 and B-52 aircraft and featured ferrite core memory.

does that mean they are almost bomb proof?



I once got to look at the specs for the 1980s era video recorders -- the spec that stood out was the requirement that the mechanism should survive a 50g crash and keep working -- ie remain in alignment

[tea lady]

does that mean they are almost bomb proof?



I once got to look at the specs for the 1980s era video recorders -- the spec that stood out was the requirement that the mechanism should survive a 50g crash and keep working -- ie remain in alignment

They don't build 'em like that any more.

[Master Splinter]

Well, 50 g is not that much - hard drives get a shock tolerance in the region of 200g so that they can survive normal delivery processes.

[kiwigeo]

Looks like someone forgot to install the flight computers in that North Korean rocket the other day

The "satellite" payload looked a bit sus as well....looked like an old dishwasher wrapped in tin foil.

[ian]

Well, 50 g is not that much

well, considering that a 50g crash is completely non-survivable for the shuttle's crew, it struck me as incongrous that the video machines were designed to continue recording after a severe crash

[rrich]

DUNNO mates.

I thought the computers were PDP-10 systems. At least in the first few shuttles. NASA had head problems with anything associated with the IBM PC and Microsoft. In all of my dealings with the aerospace community they went out of their way to avoid IBM and Microsoft. All I could think of was the cost to re-invent the wheel.