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From: amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: New Shuttle computers
Message-ID: <1991Mar14.143059.20883@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
Date: 14 Mar 91 14:30:59 GMT
References: <9103112033.AA09943@cmr.ncsl.nist.gov> <1991Mar13.084501@aten.cca.rok.com> <1991Mar13.172355.22087@zoo.toronto.edu>
Sender: amichiel@sunrise.acs.syr.edu
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
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In article <> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes:
>In article <1991Mar13.084501@aten.cca> MLC%GVA.DECNET@CONSRT.ROK.COM writes:
>>the Soviets are using the same booster to launch current manned flights
>>as they used for Gagarin's first flight.  They have much the same concerns
>>for safety, upgrades as we do.   Inertia for using what works is very strong,
>>and not just in the space program.

>upgrading its innards.  Yes, the A booster is still in use.  In fact, it
>goes further:  ignoring some variations in upper stages, the launcher
>used for Soyuz today is the same one that launched Sputnik 1.  It's the

>However, the Soviets have upgraded their spacecraft repeatedly, and

I think you can go a step farther.  In terribly generic terms, the actual
launcher is kinda a big roman candle and the 'smarts' are generally more
confined around the capsule, from which any control I/O is kinda routed.
Further, the soviet design philosophy has been to keep all the 'smarts' 
possible on the ground and to actually launch very 'spartan' equipment.
Therefore, the soviets could well make great strides in computer upgrades for
the system without making (virtually) ANY modifications (at least ones we
could see) to either the capsule or launch vechicle.
I saw some film of the inside of the soviet lunar module recently.  The voice
over suggested it looked like a 19'th century steam engine, but I thougt it
looked much like the control room of a WWII submarine.  The pilot stood in
front of about 10 large steel handles, assumeably pulling handles to operate
positioning jets....  Even in 1970 I don't think I could have been convinced
to ride in this....
al


-- 
Al. Michielsen, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Syracuse University
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