NASA's wiring guide -- only the most demanding geeks need apply
By Nilay Patel 
posted Feb 9th 2008 5:25PM
posted Feb 9th 2008 5:25PM
[Via Toolmonger]
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You mean to tell me my method of "Twist, bend, and pray" isn't top-of-the-line? ._. well..crap.
I think you picked up NASA's guide to yoga by mistake.
Don't knock the power of prayer. My first computer build POSTed only because of the prayer "Why God? Please just make it work!"
No wonder NASA is having trouble: this artist's rendition of a wiring connection seems physically impossible, like an M.C. Escher drawing! Note the wire starting on the left; once it passes the middle where the wires cross, it loops down behind the wire coming from the right, then back up toward the viewer. Follow through a few more loops, then it seems the wire should end behind the right wire pointing DOWN not UP! Try it yourself. This is on page 93 of the PDF doc: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codeq/doctree/87394.pdf
you know what, i'm going to go ahead and leave this to nasa. We're not supposed to understand.
ooo I love the impossible cube (as shown :)
Good old Nasa. If the wire had started twisting in the opposite direction then the ends of the wire would be correct, but as it is its an impossibility UNLESS the wire doesn't actually go fully around the under wires. A bit like a U and less of a O.
You are correct sir. You must have spent some time looking at that :D
Probably some obscure English to metric conversion...
Good catch!
You don’t understand, this is all supposed to be done in space, where zero-gravity reigns supreme, see... On the good ol’ earth, gum and a prayer should (continue to) work just fine.
No in space MICRO GRAVITY reigns supreme. Zero gravity is a totally wrong concept.
Don't be silly, I thought we all knew that the UFO crash at Area 51 gave NASA the technology to make wires that coil into themselves in exactly this impossible manner.
We used to do something very similar at Circuit City when wiring up car audio. Maybe we should have asked for a raise, ...or looked for a better job at least.
This should help end-users and small biz who have put much time and effort into learning advanced soldering techniques get a real challenge , and learn some things in the process.
Uhh... I'll give it a miss, thanks.
Mmmmmm . . . . impossible soldering . . . .
Soldering? Why'd I buy 23 rolls of colored electrical tape then?
To cover up your soldering job.
The same standards have been used in the Telephone business for years. I've got a head full of that crap, and I've left some of the damned finest wiring you've ever seen all over this continent. If it looks good, it will last a long time.
That diagram up top is baffling though. I've done many Western Union splices, but I've never been able to defy the laws of physics like that!
and remind me. just what is NASA's record with holding things together and not blowing up?
I'm sorry but I didn't accept NASA's job offer because I enjoy helping people live. Thats why I'm in web design now.
Seems to be pretty good to me ... Apollo 1, Challenger, Columbia. Not bad, given the quantity of flights they HAVE sustained.
I'm guessing you don't fly commercially or drive, either?
And sweet Christ, if you have an aversion to crashes and explosions, why are you working in the computer industry!?
Yes, and remind us how many times you've sent a man to the moon?
http://space.about.com/od/toolsequipment/ss/apollospinoffs.htm
But I'm sure as a web designer ( who is relegated to making rather unintelligent comments on engadget ) you've produced a lot of things that have benefited mankind.
Page 50 of the PDF ( http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codeq/doctree/87394.pdf ) made me chuckle:
Note: Do not use spiral wrap sleeving on spacecraft or launch vehicles.
Used chewing gum FTW!
Looks just like the Wiring Guides that the Navy had when I was in, and those splices had to withstand salt water spray and such....:P
Good thing this is what I 'taught' when I did a 'how to' on wiring in PAS Magazine...
I prefer to just stick to the basics:
Lefty loosey, righty tighty.
Guess thats what happens when a graphic designer who doesn't know the physics of wiring draws a picture. Kinda like the people who write the computer program but don't know what it is used for. (but to give credit i can't draw that good or program so i guess i shouldn't be posting this.. oh well
Now I'm ashamed of my telephone wire speaker cables, chopped-twisted-scotchtaped crossover cable, and telephone line splitters used as splices. :(
"use telephone splitters as splicers" LOL I thought I was the only one who did that
Oh and I also use telephone wire as speaker cable LOL.... it's really good quality wire and you can get long chunks of it for free with a few lies to your telephone company
I am well aware of the majority of these techniques used by NASA. I actually used these to build a robot once, but alas, it became self aware and now rules our country (USA).
Apparently your work is inferior, as that robot obviously has some screws and solder joints loose. I just wish you had commented out the SeekWMD() and BlowShitUp() functions before you started it up.
@Dirkus
Yes, it is an inferior product and I wish I would have added some sort of self destruct mechanism. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.
Our only hope now is that it will find too many WMDs with SeekWMD(), fill up the WMD_location array, and segfault.
Using duct tape and Elmer's glue to hold together broken heat shield tiles before re-entry wasn't a very good idea. NASA had told Columbia not to try that solution, but the crew probably figured it would likely hold together for at least five minutes.
I sure wouldn't have wanted to take the chance, but when you're that far up with little resources they didn't have much of a choice.
Every time I witness a shuttle launch it scares the crap out of me. Those astronauts are truly fearless. Going up is only half the danger. They gotta get back, too.
That is, unless they choose they like it better up there than down here.
Difficult choice when you consider all the crap that happens down here.
Nasa's wiring techniques works well when applying a twist-tie on a garbage bag.
i'm a connector engineer and those articles gave me a big chubby... =)
Actually, if you've ever taken a basic electronics soldering course, that is a standard wire splice, I regularly use that splice for most of my needs, it is SUPER strong compared to other ways of splicing...
whaaa? I actually do a lot of this stuff already because its either A. pretty standard or B. Well I don't really know, I guess I somehow figured it out without ever reading it anywhere because it seemed to make sense?
Maybe I used to be involved with NASA and they didn't wipe my brain all the way.
any one else notice in the picture that the twisted wires are finishing the wrong way??? (the counter clockwise twist on the left ends as clockwise)
But I LIKE my wires to arc...