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

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040506005216&newsLang=en' target='_blank'>http://home.businesswire.com/portal...216&newsLang=en</a><br /><br /></div>"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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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."<br /><br />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]

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 (http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,62183,00.html). 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]

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

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

Steve

[OSUKid7]

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 (http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,62183,00.html). 8)
Awesome. Now let's just hope they enable encryption so their neighbors don't steal the connection. ;) :lol:

[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 (http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,62183,00.html). 8)
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]

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 (http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,62183,00.html). 8)
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)
LMAO...that'd be awesome. ;) (yeah, I seem to get into these multiple quote posts too. :|)

[ctmagnus]

"If it's good enough for NASA, it's good enough for me." ;)

[blantrip]

If they can use their iPAQ in space, how can it be a problem for me to use it during take-offs and landings on a jet?

[Phoenix]

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 (http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,62183,00.html). 8)
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)
LMAO...that'd be awesome. ;) (yeah, I seem to get into these multiple quote posts too. :|)

Or a Klingon with a newly acquired taste for WiFi hopping. "MAK DOOK CHAK I-PAQ!" (Or whatever).

(O yah, please forgive quote of multiple :silly: ).

[Mitch D]

If they can use their iPAQ in space, how can it be a problem for me to use it during take-offs and landings on a jet?

Mainly because they can't use thier iPaqs during take off... can you imagine trying to play Solitare, Jawbreaker or even Warfare Inc. during rocket lift off?

"Would someone mind prying my iPaq out of my faceplate? I seem to be depressurizing..."

Not to mention the potental disasters caused by running a flight sim... nothing like watching a rocket do a barrel roll during take off!

[Jonathon Watkins]

(O yah, please forgive quote of multiple :silly: ).

C'mon guys, editing down multiple quotes isn't *that* hard. :wink:

This is very cool news. I wonder if they are using storage cards for storing ebooks etc and if the iPaqs had to be adapted to shield them from solar radiation etc.

[Mitch D]

if the iPaqs had to be adapted to shield them from solar radiation etc.

In all the chats I've had with people about send things like a PPC into space that is one thing I never thought about. Would you have to shield the device in some type of casing besides it's own body or would the shielding offered by the ISS itself be good enough?

Also would the lack of a extreme electomagnetic field (the earth) increase the range and speed of wifi? Yes I do understand the math surrounding this (just don't ask me to figure it out as I suck at math) but I think this would be interesting to figure out.

[jizmo]

In all the chats I've had with people about send things like a PPC into space that is one thing I never thought about. Would you have to shield the device in some type of casing besides it's own body or would the shielding offered by the ISS itself be good enough?

This also might be a stupid question, but would PPC work as they are if they were introduced to plain space. The liquid screen would freeze over in a second, but can the actual hardware function for some time. There's no liquid there to freeze, so..

I mean .. duh .. would it work?

/jizmo

[ironguy]

The problem with space is hot and cold. In shadow, temps hit well below -200 deg F. In the direct sun, they go well over 200 deg F. If your bare iPaq was out in space, the motherboard and solder joints would crack from the cold or hot or both. Other than that and a frozen/boiling screen... sure, it would work! 0X

Now you know why the space program is costly. Satellites are built to withstand these rigors.