Interesting BBC article about tech in the space programme

[pmv]

I have a vague impression that some around these parts have first-hand experience of this sort of thing, but I thought this was interesting.

The ancient technology keeping space missions alive

Some of the most famous space missions have been running for decades. The technology helping to keep them aloft is anything but space age.

www.bbc.com

This was kind of amusing

They also discovered that the original software for part of the onboard navigation system was running on a Windows 98 PC that no-one could find the password to and ended up using bolt cutters to extract the hard drives.

(surely win 98 passwords were not all that secure?)

 

[skyking]

I read on past that article to the one about the future of the ISS. They plan to de-orbit that 400 tons of space junk in 2031.
There is a proposal to recycle as much as possible, sort of an orbiting wrecking yard. Now it is starting to feel like the Expanse

 

[Thump553]

I think that article is inspiring and a tribute to to mankind's ingenuity and capabilities. Cluster II was designed for a three year life, it's been running 23 and still going (despite critical batteries with a five year life dying). And Voyager is 46 years old-both qualify for antique plates if they were cars in my state. I'm not in that field but I'm very impressed.