NASA Launches HP iPAQ Pocket PCs into Space; Astronauts Use iPAQs in the International Space Station

[Jason Dunn]

http://home.businesswire.com/portal...216&newsLang=en

"HP today announced that HP iPAQ Pocket PCs are being used in space by the Expedition 9 astronaut and cosmonaut crew aboard the International Space Station Soyuz 8 space craft. The iPAQ h5550 and accompanying accessories were launched on April 19, exactly four years after the introduction of the first iPAQ Pocket PC.

The iPAQs will be used as mobile productivity tools to record daily crew procedures, write personal memos and check e-mail and calendars. The space crew will also be able to listen to music, view photos from home and read e-books, allowing them to have some of the comforts of home on their journey. The devices will remain aboard the space station and be reconfigured for each new crew. For the next flight, two additional iPAQs are expected to launch to the station for a total of four iPAQs.

Ground support at NASA's Johnson Space Center and Russia's Star City Space Center will use the iPAQ Pocket PCs during the training process and to evaluate new applications for future flight crews to use."

Pocket PCs in space. Cool. :way to go:

[Jason Dunn]

http://home.businesswire.com/portal...216&newsLang=en

"HP today announced that HP iPAQ Pocket PCs are being used in space by the Expedition 9 astronaut and cosmonaut crew aboard the International Space Station Soyuz 8 space craft. The iPAQ h5550 and accompanying accessories were launched on April 19, exactly four years after the introduction of the first iPAQ Pocket PC.

The iPAQs will be used as mobile productivity tools to record daily crew procedures, write personal memos and check e-mail and calendars. The space crew will also be able to listen to music, view photos from home and read e-books, allowing them to have some of the comforts of home on their journey. The devices will remain aboard the space station and be reconfigured for each new crew. For the next flight, two additional iPAQs are expected to launch to the station for a total of four iPAQs.

Ground support at NASA's Johnson Space Center and Russia's Star City Space Center will use the iPAQ Pocket PCs during the training process and to evaluate new applications for future flight crews to use."

Pocket PCs in space. Cool. :way to go:

[arnage2]

cool. didnt nasa do this before with ipaqs?

[Mitch D]

This is interesting, I have theorized that something along the lines of a PPC would be the perfect personal device to take into space. Especially for long duration missions like the space station, and the proposed trip to mars. A PPC like the iPaq 555x or the Toshiba E80x would allow space travellers to carry along alot of data (music, ebooks, pictures, etc.) with very little wieght/space expenditures.

For the Star Trek fans in the crowd, this could be a first gen PAD... could phasers be far behind? :wink:

[David Prahl]

Too bad Palm beat us to space -- someone brought an m125 into orbit a few years ago.

Does this mean they have wifi in the ISS?

[Pat Logsdon]

Originally Posted by David Prahl

Too bad Palm beat us to space -- someone brought an m125 into orbit a few years ago.

Does this mean they have wifi in the ISS?

I don't think it's in the ISS, but NASA is apparently working on it. 8)

[rocky_raher]

Astronauts will certainly enjoy reading ebooks on the iPaq. Books on dead trees would consume too much weight and space. I can picture an astronaut saying to Michael Creighton, "I read your latest novel last month while in orbit. Couldn't put it down."

[Steven Cedrone]

Originally Posted by rocky_raher

"I read your latest novel last month while in orbit. Couldn't put it down."

O.K., now that was funny! :rotfl:

Steve

[OSUKid7]

Originally Posted by Pat Logsdon

I don't think it's in the ISS, but NASA is apparently working on it. 8)

Awesome. Now let's just hope they enable encryption so their neighbors don't steal the connection. :lol:

[David Prahl]

Originally Posted by OSUKid7

Awesome. Now let's just hope they enable encryption so their neighbors don't steal the connection. :lol:

Or some kid next to Arecibo with a Pringles can! :lol:

(Sorry for the triple quote faux pas)

[OSUKid7]

Originally Posted by David Prahl

Or some kid next to Arecibo with a Pringles can! :lol:

(Sorry for the triple quote faux pas)

LMAO...that'd be awesome. (yeah, I seem to get into these multiple quote posts too. :|)