Who says Macs don't crash?
Category: Apple/Mac OS... Tech...
Posted Friday, June 27, 2003 at 12:27 PM [GMT-6]

I just learned that NASA's solar-powered prototype aircraft, named Helios, crashed on Kaui today. This was one cool-Photo - NASA Photo of Helios test aircraftlooking aircraft, as the photo at right shows. It had a wingspan of 247 feet, wider than a Boeing 747, and, powered by 62,000 solar cells and 14 electric motors, it could soar to an altitude of almost 100,000 feet.

What many people don't know or perhaps have forgotten is that the Helios was controlled from the ground by an arsenal of Apple's PowerMacs...desktop and notebook. The Macs are used thusly:
The flight crew works from a second truck which serves as the main ground control station. The pilot remotely operates the plane using Power Macs to display flight instruments on one screen and a moving map with weather information on a second. Other Power Macs are used by the flight engineer to monitor the plane’s systems and component temperatures, by a mission planning engineer, and by stability and control engineers.

NASA reports that the cause of today's crash has yet to be determined. If I were in their shoes, I'd look carefully to see if someone was trying to run Microsoft Word 6 during the test flight.

Permalink

Comments
Post a comment [Take your time...we're in no hurry.]
Note: You must provide either a website URL or an email address...but there's no rule that says you have to tell the truth. If you don't want your email address published on this site, just input a website URL, or make up an email address.









Remember personal info?