How Many Computers Does it Take to Travel to Outer Space
The advancements in technology have allowed us to do so many new and interesting things with our abilities in space travel. Computers play such an important role in calculating, collecting and analyzing data, predicting outcomes, aiding in travel and landing capabilities, and so much more. Computers allow for so many abilities that we as humans cannot possibly ever accomplish. They allow for formulas and abilities to be programmed in and put into motion, and focus on only certain areas. Humans will never be able to have programmed formulas or the speed of computation that computers are capable of.
One of the largest concerns regarding space travel and the so much new technology was how to manage all of the many computers and equipment that is needed when traveling into space. Computers are needed in so many aspects of a spaceship; they basically control the whole thing. A computer is required to control the ships fuel, engine, data collection, landing, taking off gear, direction while in flight, communication from the space craft back to the home base here on earth, etc. With all these computers, it takes many people to monitor all of them, and many high tech computers to run everything. If even one of them fails, the whole mission could go wrong. That is why NASA often runs several identical computer systems on the same the program to allow for redemption if failure does occur. This eliminates some of the risks, but not all of them. There are still many problems that could go wrong in all the computers necessary to even just take off from the ground.
Within the next few years, the goal is to have a much better grasp on the direction that advances need to go in to increase our chances of entering into space safely, and to be the most productive we can be in each journey or mission. The scientists of NASA have been working on a supercomputer that they hope will be able to cut down on many of the risks that come up when trying to accurately run all of the computer programs and systems. If they can successfully merge some of the programs into one, this would dramatically increase the likelihood of failsafe missions, and lower the cost of the maintenance, back up systems, and the salaries of the many, many people needed to monitor the systems constantly.
