And that's why there never was a 'space race'...

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Posted by Ivan303 (A) on September 21, 2020 at 19:08:03

In Reply to: No, but the Soviets kepts vacuum-tube avionics for a long time. posted by John Marks on September 20, 2020 at 13:46:38:

at least as far as a manned landing on the moon.

The computer necessary for control of the lunar lander used chips made by Rockwell Semiconductor (they called them ELSIs or LSIs at the time) with 40 pins. The Soviets had no computer technology snall enough to fit inside a landing craft and the time delay between earth and the moon was too long for earthbound computers to be of any use.

Those Rockwell chips?

Shortly after the mood landing that technology, paid for by American Tax Dollars, was sold to the Japanese and came home to us as Sharp electronic calculators

First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

Rockwell sells the ELSI technology to Sharp Corp. (Open in New Window)

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Twenty years ago today via the wayback machine... - E-Stat 13:43:56 09/13/20 (13)

Please: "WABAC" - John Marks 19:40:38 09/17/20 (12)

well -- yes and no - mhardy6647 05:50:10 09/19/20 (0)

RE: Please: "WABAC" - rivervalley817 20:45:59 09/17/20 (0)

RE: Please: "WABAC" - Bill the K 20:03:39 09/17/20 (9)

No, but the Soviets kepts vacuum-tube avionics for a long time. - John Marks 13:46:38 09/20/20 (5)

hmm, there were certainly no budget issues for their capacitors... some mil spec superior in every way ... - Cleantimestream 11:57:44 10/11/20 (0)

So did we, the FAA in particular didn't go to solid state radios til late 80s. Nt - geoffkait 07:50:25 09/27/20 (0)

RE Didn't Know Morgan Made Subs. (nt) - goldenthal 16:48:04 09/26/20 (0)

I'm enjoying - E-Stat 14:47:44 09/25/20 (0)

And that's why there never was a 'space race'... - Ivan303 19:08:03 09/21/20 (0)

No - E-Stat 11:38:25 09/18/20 (2)

NASTRAN - Bill the K 21:17:14 09/19/20 (0)

Thanks (nt) - Bill the K 21:23:01 09/18/20 (0)

Follow Ups

And that's why there never was a 'space race'... - Ivan303 19:08:03 09/21/20 (0)

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