Subj : Re: Kerosene Engines
To   : Charles Radley
From : Ward Dossche
Date : Thu Aug 31 2000 05:48 am

Charles,
 
> Spacecraft computers are always several years behind the commercial
> market,
> the Shuttle is currently over 10 years behind.   The ISS (International
> Space Station) I think uses 486 architecture.
 
Might it have to do with easy of operation, reliabilty, non-complexity while 
yet having a lot of computing power? (don't underestimate the 486, it's 
function is not primarily to play multi-dimensional games in 16 million 
colours)
 
I sometimes wonder how it has been possible to land people on the Moon. Those 
computers really were rudimentary.
 
 \x/ard 

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