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It is in orbit around the Earth at 28,000 kilometers at the time and it is the most expensive structure ever built, but in some ways, the International Space Station (ISS) is like n & rsquo; Any other desktop with laptops, printers and technological upgrades. "Technology is part of everything we do and we could not do our mission without it, it's a critical need for us, so we're in a constant state of change in terms of how we infuse this technology to extend our Stephen Hunter, ISS's IT resource manager to NASA, told ZDNet
that Hunter is responsible for everything that's going on aboard the ISS, the IAD. Main avionics to aircraft used every day by the crew.
"We have a unique environment for our workspace, 240 miles above the Earth, but in reality, this is reduced to logistics and planning, "he said.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year experience of virtual reality to train astronauts: The Inside Story ( cover story PDF)
Much of this planning ion is similar to any medium size company. a refresh of technology, with some additional challenges, such as the need to have new hardware delivered by rocket.
"Anyone can relate to some sort of system upgrade, it's easy to speculate and buy it, we just think of a few more things and logistics is a little more intense and expensive, "he said.
Due to the huge cost of an object to the ISS, the team is trying to achieve maximum performance. on each piece of material. The station has about 100 laptops, as well as tablets and other devices, and aims to use each machine for about six years.
"We plan to use a device until it no longer works," Hunter explains.
For laptops, the ISS tries to keep a standard model that limits the number of spare parts to be carried on board the station, and facilitates basic repairs such as changes to hard drives or batteries . If a laptop needs more repairs, it's usually not worth it for the team to try to fix it, even if the ground engineers can cause them problems.
The ISS also carries Apple iPads and Microsoft Surface Pro Tablets. "The research community usually has people who are based on iOS or Windows, they are better than others, so we try to make sure we have the tools," he says.
ISS flight engineer Ricky Arnold of NASA prepares a satellite for deployment with two clearly visible station laptops.
Image: NASA
Unlike most offices, the ISS must generate its own electricity using its range of solar panels, which means that energy consumption is a key factor in choosing any new hardware . We only produce a limited amount of batteries a day and you have to store them in all devices, so the power becomes a challenge. the wall and it will always be powered no matter what it is.
"It's a living, breathing ecosystem, this amazing thing that is orbiting around but to use it to its fullest potential, you still need to have this thought process of" How am I going to affect it if I deploy something? ", said Hunter.
For example, the ISS has upgraded its printers this year, for the first time since 2000. While printers are being used To print emergency procedures – the event that networks fall, they are also an important home link for astronauts on board.
"Just the tactile feel of paper can give somebody a sense of urgency. One of the meanings of the house, "Hunter said," From house letters, pictures that you can print, there are all sorts of things that give you that feeling of home when you are separated. "
SEE: NASA's unsung heroes: moon (cover story PDF)
In addition to the standard features found in most offices, the ISS is also experimenting with new technologies. The station was one of the first corporate users of Microsoft HoloLens, said Hunter, and he sees a potential for augmented reality tools that could help ground-based experts to walk around the world. crew through complex tasks.
"They may have never seen this experience but if you can get the ground systems expert who knows this experience, or who even designed this experience, they can get the ball rolling. The crew and the crew will be able to lead this experiment. "Science," he said.
Another option is to use augmented reality as part of regular medical examinations or during a medical emergency to give doctors on Earth a better view of the patient or to help the crew through the maintenance of the ISS.
"It's just a way to use technology to make the crew more efficient and effective during complex operations, "said Hunter.
But Hunter said that one of the most potentially exciting technologies on the horizon is artificial intelligence. NASA already uses elements of the I A in his projects and wants to use more in space exploration, where robotic spacecraft will often be out of communication with their human controllers.
Hunter also stated that the IA could play a role in ensuring that spaceships can function effectively when they are so far in space that mission-based control on the ground will not be able to provide guidance in real time. We want to make proof of concept on ISS for that, but if we want to make a successful transition to our lunar gateway project and move on to Mars, the whole concept of how we operate and how we calculate things in management "If you think of Mars, when you are in transition and you get to the surface of Mars, the round trip is 24 minutes. It will be necessary to design the systems so that they are able to manage themselves and the use of technology is what will drive that. "
Hunter said that for these concept space projects that we know today in the way you do the control of the mission will have to change e" simply because of the distance. "We will have systems designed to be able to manage themselves, it is a challenge that fascinates me, how to integrate AI to manage systems as we move forward," he said. -he declares.
"As we continue to mature the ISS and use it as a test bench for future exploration, [about] is trying to test these technologies as we move to things that have even more distance and danger. "
The International Space Station: A laboratory in orbit and a workplace that requires technical support such as others.
Image: NASA
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