Author Topic: Space. The Final Frontier.  (Read 75585 times)

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Offline Nathan

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #725: December 05, 2014, 12:00:23 PM »
Can't vouch for the veracity of this, but I heard somewhere that the average smart phone has more computing power than went into any of the Apollo launches. 

If you compare instructions per second, the launch missions had 5 IBM 360/75 mainframes, each could run .94 MIPS so a total of 4.7 MIPS between them.  An ARM Cortex A8 from 2005 could do 2000 MIPS.  "Power" is hard to compare in general, and MIPS isn't really a good indication of how much more powerful it is, but even still, a years-old smartphone chip can process 425 times more instructions per second than the 5 IBM mainframes mission control used.

Online imref

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #726: December 05, 2014, 12:25:01 PM »
The view from peak altitude, 3,600 miles aloft:



Online imref

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #727: December 05, 2014, 12:25:47 PM »
If you compare instructions per second, the launch missions had 5 IBM 360/75 mainframes, each could run .94 MIPS so a total of 4.7 MIPS between them.  An ARM Cortex A8 from 2005 could do 2000 MIPS.  "Power" is hard to compare in general, and MIPS isn't really a good indication of how much more powerful it is, but even still, a years-old smartphone chip can process 425 times more instructions per second than the 5 IBM mainframes mission control used.

IIRC, the Shuttles flew with three Intel 486 PCs.

Offline Galah

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #728: December 05, 2014, 01:04:28 PM »
Huntsville was a space place.

IS a space place.

Nice intellectual oasis in the middle of Alabama - used to claim more PhD's per capita than anywhere else in the US. The US government introduced a large number of German ex-pats who knew more than a little about rocket science in the late 40's

Offline blue911

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #729: December 05, 2014, 01:08:07 PM »
If you compare instructions per second, the launch missions had 5 IBM 360/75 mainframes, each could run .94 MIPS so a total of 4.7 MIPS between them.  An ARM Cortex A8 from 2005 could do 2000 MIPS.  "Power" is hard to compare in general, and MIPS isn't really a good indication of how much more powerful it is, but even still, a years-old smartphone chip can process 425 times more instructions per second than the 5 IBM mainframes mission control used.

Try putting an 8" floppy drive into you phone, smartypants.

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #730: December 05, 2014, 01:18:16 PM »
How the hell do they get people to move to those places?

Lots of money, cheap housing, great road and mountain biking, cocaine.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #731: December 05, 2014, 02:12:27 PM »
Try putting an 8" floppy drive into you phone, smartypants.

Is 3.5" ok?


Online imref

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #732: December 05, 2014, 03:08:51 PM »
IS a space place.

Nice intellectual oasis in the middle of Alabama - used to claim more PhD's per capita than anywhere else in the US. The US government introduced a large number of German ex-pats who knew more than a little about rocket science in the late 40's

IIRC the Germans didn't have much a choice.  The race to secure Werner Von Braun and his team was one of the great stories at the end of WWII.

(And I hope all of you have seen October Sky or at least read The Rocket Boys).

Offline tomterp

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #733: December 06, 2014, 09:31:51 PM »
Is 3.5" ok?

(Image removed from quote.)

No.  Real floppy, or GTFO.        :old:


Offline varoadking

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Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #736: December 30, 2014, 12:49:36 PM »
I'm having a hard time believing this, but I'll try. It's not like I have  a large vertical, but what the hell.

I plan to be on the bathroom scale at 12:37pm EST on January 4th...

Online Slateman

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #737: December 30, 2014, 12:57:23 PM »
I plan to be on the bathroom scale at 12:37pm EST on January 4th...

Why 12:37 when it won't happen until 12:47?

Offline varoadking

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #738: December 30, 2014, 12:59:46 PM »
Why 12:37 when it won't happen until 12:47?

I want the experience to wash over me like a warm bath...

Offline mitlen

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #739: December 30, 2014, 01:00:26 PM »
I want the experience to wash over me like a warm bath...

 :hysterical:

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #740: December 30, 2014, 01:00:56 PM »
I want the experience to wash over me like a warm bath...

That's a little disturbing.

Offline tomterp

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #741: December 30, 2014, 01:01:14 PM »
I'm having a hard time believing this, but I'll try. It's not like I have  a large vertical, but what the hell.

This is my chance to get rim again!     :old:

Offline varoadking

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #742: December 30, 2014, 01:02:10 PM »
That's a little disturbing.

Got it from some stupid cell service provider commercial.  I thought the same thing myself...  :D

Offline Nathan

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #743: December 30, 2014, 01:02:23 PM »
:lmao: GTFO, you people don't believe that do you?  There is no way a planetary alignment is going to affect gravity on Earth.  The moon is way WAY closer to us than Jupiter and Pluto, do you feel weightless when the moon is overhead?

Offline varoadking

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #744: December 30, 2014, 01:03:39 PM »
:lmao: GTFO, you people don't believe that do you?  There is no way a planetary alignment is going to affect gravity on Earth.  The moon is way WAY closer to us than Jupiter and Pluto, do you feel weightless when the moon is overhead?

I don't always, but when I do...watch out...


Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #745: December 30, 2014, 01:03:48 PM »
No, it seems crazy to me.

:lmao: GTFO, you people don't believe that do you?  There is no way a planetary alignment is going to affect gravity on Earth.  The moon is way WAY closer to us than Jupiter and Pluto, do you feel weightless when the moon is overhead?

Online Slateman

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #746: December 30, 2014, 01:06:57 PM »
:lmao: GTFO, you people don't believe that do you?  There is no way a planetary alignment is going to affect gravity on Earth.  The moon is way WAY closer to us than Jupiter and Pluto, do you feel weightless when the moon is overhead?

When it's a full moon . . .

Offline varoadking

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #747: December 30, 2014, 01:12:48 PM »
:lmao: GTFO, you people don't believe that do you?  There is no way a planetary alignment is going to affect gravity on Earth.  The moon is way WAY closer to us than Jupiter and Pluto, do you feel weightless when the moon is overhead?

Such skepticism of late...




Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Space. The Final Frontier.
« Reply #748: December 30, 2014, 01:28:16 PM »
What's wierd is that this is NASA's twitter account reporting this phenomenon.

Such skepticism of late...