Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!lll-winken!uunet!philmtl!philabs!ttidca!hollombe
From: hollombe@ttidca.TTI.COM (The Polymath)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: USSR Microcomputers: How far behind US?
Message-ID: <4385@ttidca.TTI.COM>
Date: 8 May 89 21:19:15 GMT
References: <1905@etive.ed.ac.uk> <4366@ttidca.TTI.COM> <476@bnr-fos.UUCP>
Reply-To: hollombe@ttidcb.tti.com (The Polymath)
Organization: The Cat Factory
Lines: 33

In article <476@bnr-fos.UUCP> schow%BNR.CA.bitnet@relay.cs.net (Stanley Chow) writes:
}So, the USSR tests their shuttle with computer controlled landing,
}and the USA tests theirs with people.
}
}This says either the USSR trusts their computers more, or values their
}pilots more. To send pilots up on the first flight sounds to me a little
}"gutsy", especailly when you have computer that can land the shuttle.

Alternatively, it may say the USSR has a _lot_ of open land to bring a
shuttle down in and doesn't care if it wipes out the odd farming village.
They bring their space capsules in on land, too.

Trivial statistic:  The STS-1 landed within 30 seconds and 12 _inches_
of nominal plan.  Now _that's_ precision!

}BTW, what are the obvious reasons for avoiding the zero-zero landing
}capabiltiy? I can understand avoiding *to have* to use it, but to never
}use it altogether? How can it be tested? (I assume zero-zero is some kind
}of automatic system that can land even in zero visibility etc).

Zero-zero refers to ceiling zero, visibility zero (i.e.:  Dense fog on the
runway).  I believe the self-landing program has been tested, with a pilot
ready to take over if need be.  The HUD displays a pseudo-runway with
vector graphics and the pilot shoots his landing on that.  In a normal
landing, the pilot can see if the pseudo runway matches the real runway,
thus testing the system.  The pilots practice zero-zero landings in
simulators.

-- 
The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, hollombe@ttidca.tti.com)  Illegitimati Nil
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