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From: steve@kontron.UUCP (Steve McIntosh)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: shuttle computers
Message-ID: <300@kontron.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 28-Jun-85 17:02:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: kontron.300
Posted: Fri Jun 28 17:02:05 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 30-Jun-85 00:27:34 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Kontron Electronics, Irvine, CA
Lines: 20


> From: Dale.Amon@CMU-RI-FAS
> ... For the weight cost of those things, they could have 20
> real computers...

The real cost of the computers is not the weight - they have been
stripping the weight at lift off by such things as NOT painting the
external fuel tank white. Leaving it with just a "primer" coat saved
thousands of pounds. 

The cost of the computers is power - both to run them and for cooling.

(By the way, just to annoy computer "purists" - I understand that there
are quite a few 6502's on the shuttle running forth to do menial tasks
like opening the bay doors. At least thats what one Rockwell employee
who worked on the shuttle told me )



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