Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!tikal!sigma!uw-nsr!uw-warp!gtisqr!kevin
From: kevin@gtisqr.UUCP (Kevin Bagley)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Shuttle computer reprogramming
Summary: This stinks!
Message-ID: <459@gt-ford.gtisqr.UUCP>
Date: 4 Oct 88 17:50:12 GMT
References: <6689@nsc.nsc.com> <6980@ihlpl.ATT.COM>
Reply-To: kevin@gt-ford.UUCP (Kevin Bagley)
Organization: Global Tech International Inc, Mukilteo WA.
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In article <6980@ihlpl.ATT.COM> knudsen@ihlpl.ATT.COM (Knudsen) writes:
>Well, the network (ABC) said it was memory limitations.
>The computers each have at most 512K each (they never said exactly),
>maybe only 256 or 64K.
	This is ridiculous!  One would assume that with the re-vamping
	of Discovery and 2.5+ years to accomplish it, that an analysis
	of the computer systems was performed.  Was this done?  Did
	they find the computer systems to be adequate?  I find it
	unbelievable that a technological feat like the shuttle is
	equipped with computer systems smaller than most Cash Registers.

>One of the flight crew said that every time they want to
>put a new capability into the computers (like yet another
>emergency abort scenario), something else has to be
>taken out.
	I think that NASA *MUST* do the things necessary to get our (Taxpayers)
	Shuttle up to current computer technology.  Any defense NASA?

>So I'll bet every byte of that code is hand-optimized
>to hell and back.  I doubt any hi-level language,
>or even C, got anywhere near those computers.
	I would expect no hi-level language since optimization is
	the only way to assure bullet proof code.

>Would someone who knows like to tell us how much RAM & ROM
>these babies have?
	I will be very interested in hearing this also.  I would also
	be interested in hearing the justification for "just get by"
	computer capabilities.
-- 
    ____                 Kevin Bagley  "I did not say this, I am not here."
     )__) __    _   _    Global Tech. Int'l Inc.
  __/__/ (_/\_/(_) /_)_  Mukilteo WA  98275
              __/        UUCP: uw-beaver!uw-nsr!uw-warp!gtisqr!kevin