Critical space station computers fail

An array of busted computers that control the International Space Station's orientation and oxygen and water supplies could force the orbiting hotel's three current residents to either extend their stay or make an emergency departure. The Russian-made computers are critical for sustaining life aboard the station, and while astronauts have a 56-day supply of oxygen remaining and the ability to manually fire the control thrusters, we've seen 2001 enough times to know that space and computer malfunctions don't mix. So far the cause of the failure is a real head-scratcher for Russian engineers tasked with troubleshooting the problem (where's Cosmonaut Gates when you need him?), though current suspicions lie with power issues related to the new solar array delivered by Atlantis on this most recent shuttle mission. For real-time updates on this crisis, just grab a telescope and follow along for yourself...

[Thanks, Eli R]

[Christian Martin @ Jun 14th 2007 9:59AM]

Perhaps they need a few liquid-cooled power supplies...

[Oliver Sayers @ Jun 14th 2007 10:05AM]

I smell, windows on those PCs. ^_^

[panik @ Jun 14th 2007 10:09AM]

most people know when not to make the most obvious joke reply.
learn to hold back my boy

[DorianGray @ Jun 14th 2007 10:46AM]

Unregistered Windows. Like their ATMs...

[Oliver Sayers @ Jun 14th 2007 10:56AM]

heh yeah that was a laugh.

[jsanders4484 @ Jun 14th 2007 11:14AM]

Gives blue screen of death a whole new meaning. (I wish the russians would stop using pirated copies of windows...first ATM machines, now this?)

But in all seriousness I hope they get things sorted out.

[Craig @ Jun 14th 2007 10:05AM]

They must be running Windows!

/hilarious

[Tony @ Jun 14th 2007 10:07AM]

In Soviet Space Station, computer uses you!

[blackfeather @ Jun 14th 2007 10:29AM]

or rather,

In Russian capsules, you don't fix the computers - the computers fix you!

[L. Cyphre @ Jun 14th 2007 10:52AM]

"Hello Dave."

[Mike @ Jun 14th 2007 10:13AM]

Not bad. Not bad. It took 9 minutes for the first Mac fanboy jokes regarding Windows to pop up. Reaction time was probably slowed because they had to snap out of their iPhone reverie.

Interesting....

[clemonator @ Jun 14th 2007 10:18AM]

har har...rich. I was worried I wouldn't get to read a mindless slam against Windows today.

[Byrongman @ Jun 14th 2007 10:26AM]

I doesn't matter what operating system you use...

If you look at enough porn on the office computer it is bound to choke sooner or later.

[apeguero @ Jun 14th 2007 10:48AM]

They need someone like Lev Andropov, Russian Cosmonaut, to fix that damned computer. I bet you he'll have it fixed in 5 minutes.

[Josh L @ Jun 14th 2007 10:52AM]

Wouldn't it be funny if the russians stuff was 240v and the american solar panels were 120v.... lol

[Aaron @ Jun 14th 2007 3:48PM]

Haha, nice

[Rob @ Jun 14th 2007 10:52AM]

Err err its more like do i smell pirated windows??? ehhhh And it doesnt matter what computer you run if you fry it with to much power.. All computer melt the same

[Sam @ Jun 14th 2007 10:53AM]

They need to update the solar array drivers and reboot.

[anonymous @ Jun 14th 2007 12:03PM]

sorry, they are not certified for use with Vista or any other OS.


must



have




air......

[JJ @ Jun 14th 2007 10:54AM]

3 words: Alt-Ctrl-Del

... then do reboot of the entire system.

If that doesn't work, a good foot kick should do the trick.

I kid, I kid.

[CJ @ Jun 14th 2007 10:56AM]

The ISS is flying above Ireland right now, we'll go see her burn through the atmosphere.

[Eric @ Jun 23rd 2007 10:24AM]

Not flying, floating.

[suba_parts @ Jun 14th 2007 11:03AM]

Russian components, American components, ALL MADE IN TAIWAN!

[bob\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s your uncle @ Jun 14th 2007 11:12AM]

but can it play doom?

[Xee @ Jun 14th 2007 11:15AM]

I think it's obvious that they're using incompatible power supplies

[On board the station, going over the schematics:]

US Astronaut: "WTF, please don't tell me you guys are using ZPM's to power your computers?!"

Russian Cosmonaut: "Hmm, I take it then that you guys are using . . ."

US Astronaut: ". . . dilithium crystals, yeah, nice catch there genius."

[macona @ Jun 15th 2007 12:28PM]

Nah, someone switched their Dilithium Crystals with Folgers Crystals.

[3rdsun @ Jun 14th 2007 11:15AM]

They probably used RC1 of Vista and now the expiration date is upon them.
:) cheer up this is a joke. My RC1 of Vista expired the other day.So its back to Ubuntu and XP for me

[iceykitsune @ Jun 14th 2007 11:23AM]

They should switch to linux.

[Darvin @ Jun 14th 2007 12:55PM]

Well, it's probably safe to assume they're using a favour of unix.

[XAVIER @ Jun 14th 2007 11:24AM]

I think it is important to remember here that there are 3 lives at stake roatating at about 200,000 miles per hour above the earth , and I would hate to see that big star in the sky fall on anyones house.


Regards,
~X~

PS : Wouldn't that be funny tho , if they really where running a pirated version of windows and it was outdated.

Someone should actually check into that.

I mean we laugh about it but seriously I work for a major ISP and they use unregistered versions of windows every day. , It's very casual for them and no one in the company likes to bring it up because no one wants to loose there job.

[Logik @ Jun 14th 2007 3:59PM]

More like 20,000 MPH.

[EDomain @ Jun 14th 2007 11:34AM]

"open the pod bay doors Hal"

"I'm sorry I can't do that Dave"

[Mr. B @ Jun 14th 2007 11:36AM]

Windows jokes? Could we give this a bit more effort people?

Out of curiosity, I've had NASA TV on for the last hour and I've only heard one passing reference to the computer issues, so I have to doubt the situation is "critical" at the moment.

[X2 @ Jun 14th 2007 11:47AM]

The ISS is using Linux.

[anonymous @ Jun 14th 2007 12:01PM]

Did they just upgrade to vista?

hahaha


but really...

don't they have spares and a gold copy to rebuild with?

what were they thinking?????

hey astronauts! here's your sign...


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| Got Spares?? |
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[INTERNETSAVIOUR @ Jun 14th 2007 12:25PM]

I heard this same story on NPR radio this morning. hope nothing important got fried.

[Shmoe @ Jun 14th 2007 12:36PM]

How old is that photo? The station doesn't even look like that anymore. It's much bigger now.

[Shah Kanaw @ Jun 14th 2007 12:45PM]

Nyetski! Windows + Russsian-made PC = Stoli time!

[Adam @ Jun 14th 2007 12:51PM]

The ISS has a computer? Such an iPhone rip off!



sorry had to fire back at the fan boys

[Gadgetguy @ Jun 14th 2007 1:39PM]

Those computers were running windows 98. they didnt upgrade it to vista so now they have a problem. a mac cannot keep the space station al right for 1 minute.

[Stephan @ Jun 14th 2007 1:44PM]

Seeing as how this is in space everything is redundant, and most things are done in what is called TMR, triple module redundancy. So I am sorry to say even to the very funny Windows posters to have all three systems fail at once is something like .000001% chance happening

[TIMMAH! @ Jun 14th 2007 2:01PM]

Can't they just divert some power from the shields to life support or re-modulate something like the tachyon field generators?

Probably forgot to activate their copy of the OS, and now they're hunting around for the install CD...

[Eric @ Jun 23rd 2007 10:24AM]

Ummm...tachyons are hypothetical. It's highly unlikely for them to be in use on the ISS.

[paul34 @ Jun 14th 2007 2:12PM]

It's obvious that someone just forgot to plug the power cord back in.

[Pete @ Jun 14th 2007 2:22PM]

CNN is reporting now that it has now been fixed, with standard russian electrical repair equipment: I assume they mean chewing gum.

[KC @ Jun 14th 2007 3:51PM]

Or fix it with some duct tape and chewing gum wrapper...

[murray @ Jun 14th 2007 4:15PM]

That is an embarrassingly outdated stock photo of the station.

[Spherehead @ Jun 14th 2007 6:52PM]

Here is what NASA's website says: About an hour and 20 minutes before this morning’s scheduled wakeup call, the crews were awakened by a false alarm on the station. The alarm was triggered by the restart of Russian navigation computers that provide backup attitude control and orbital altitude adjustments.

Flight controllers continue efforts to bring the computers back up to full operation. For now, the station’s control moment gyroscopes are handling attitude control, with the shuttle’s propulsion system providing backup.

Doesn't sound nearly as bad as the MSM makes it. They love to blow things way out of proportion.

[JM @ Jun 14th 2007 9:58PM]

Ha Ha, some of our best and brightest on the planet are possibly going to suffocate to death in space. Lets turn it into a fanboi war!! Lolz their orphaned deserve it for letting their parents use M$ Winblows. GOD... um Steve Jobs should chuck ipods at their coffins. LOLZ!!!

[Singe @ Jun 15th 2007 12:31AM]

"Mr.Scott!..I need more POWAH!"

-"Aye kahpinn..She giving it all she's got!"
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"Mr. Scott!..more..POWAH..NOW!!"

-"Kahpinn...the batteries be over heatin'...the circuits are fried..she cannah take much more of this!"
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"Bridge to Engineering...Bridge to Engineering!!...Scotty!!"

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...... "Jim........he's dead"