NASA admits that it has shoppers on ebay bidding to obtain
out-of-production components to use in the space program.

Perhaps COTS should be re-evaluated.

Andy


At 02:13 PM 2/1/03 -0800, you wrote:
>At 09:55 AM 2/1/2003 -0800, you wrote:
>
>>Well, consider that the shuttles were designed in the 70's
>>and NASA has to scrounge/scavenge 8086 286 and 386
>>CPU's to keep the shuttles systems going.
>>
>>The shuttles were high tech 15 years ago. Now they mostly
>>consist of junk that most people wouldn't think twice about
>>throwing away.
>
>JUNK? Are 8-bit PICs used in high tech applications junk because they don't
>come close performance wise to the latest Intel or Motorola processors? Are
>they junk in the applications designed to use them because there are newer
>processors out there? Systems and subsystems are designed and engineered
>based around the capabilities of the individual components. These
>components have been evaluated as suitable for the given application. The
>fact these components may not be the current state of the art does reduce
>their effectiveness in their role. Nor can one conclude that simply
>replacing that component with something newer would necessarily improve or
>enhance the capabilities of the system it was a part of. The "Junk" you
>refer to has performed flawlessly as a system since the first shuttle
>flight in 1981. The shuttles have been flying since the early 80s. They are
>not new vehicles. They are however, still the most sophisticated vehicle
>ever produced by humans, and continues to be the world's one and only
>reusable launch vehicle. Most certainly "high tech" in the extreme... 15
>years ago.. and 15 minutes ago.
>
>Time will tell what the cause of today's tragedy was, but the STS remains a
>time tested and proven system with an amazing safety and performance record
>considering the number of flights, and the incredibly hostile environment
>it must endure during on each and every mission. It seems particularly
>inappropriate to refer to any component used to accomplish such a feat as
>"junk".
>
>- Mike
>
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