Computer and Landing on the Moon, Research Paper Example

Introduction

When Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, computer technology was only starting to develop. Indeed, compared with the technology of today’s smart phones, satellite navigation, and communication system, it is almost unbelievable that the technology of the 1960-s was able to support the Moon mission and put a human on the surface of the Moon. Today, when we are receiving high definition, full picture images from planets, their surface, and even can analyze the materials remotely using advanced computer technology, it is somewhat strange that no further missions involving the Moon have been completed.

While computer technology is constantly evolving, and individuals are able to communicate with each other even if they are on different continents, the use of computers in space research and science does not seem to be in the main focus of developers. There are robots that are being sent in space to discover planets, their environment, and behavior, however, they are expensive to run, and communication can be disrupted by unexpected events. The Hubble Space Telescope, that has been in space for 25 years has sent back stunning images of neighboring galaxies, planets, and even dark matter. The communication between space stations and computers, however, depends on the environment, and the sunlight, as well.

The Evolution Of Computers

Computer technology has evolved with faster processors, higher capacity of data analysis, however, just basic technology was enough to get people to land on the Moon. The main question is not whether or not we could send humans in space using today’s technology. The answer to the above question is most probably yes, and it would be possible to send more people on the moon. However, as the robotic technology and communication improved, scientists realized that it is cheaper and less risky to send robots, satellites and telescopes to space than humans.

Saran states that for the Apollo 11 mission, basic IBM computers were used, and the communication systems were supported by more than 3500 people, using IBM’s 360 75s. The Houston Nasa Center responsible for manned spacecrafts also used the same system. As Saran states: “Even the simplest software today would far exceed the technical constraints the Apollo team worked under” (para 4). However, scientists were confident enough to trust computers with the lives of people in space, and allow the programs to complete complex calculations. Today, the same process that took the old IBM computers months to complete would only take a few seconds using a mobile application. However, scientists focus more on communication, image, location, and data transfer, instead of sending people in space. Considering that robots with enabled sensors, analysis systems, X-ray, and heat image software are able to deliver more precise, and larger amount of data back to the Earth in a short period of time than humans, it makes sense to make use of communication features provided by today’s computer communication technology.

The use of Apollo Guidance Computer was important to succeed with the Moon project. The software engineers made the most out of the available technology to support more than a dozen manned missions.  Considering that an USB flash drive of today can store more data than the computers used back in the 60-s, one would think that using more powerful faster technology would result in more than a few satellites and unmanned missions. The truth is that investing in the Moon mission back in the 1960-s was the mission of the government to come out as a winner from the “space race”. Thanks to the computer technology, the NASA team could get a man on moon, and created a pride in the American people when it was needed. Today, however, even though the technology is more advanced, there is less focus on science and the government’s achievement, and the cold war is over. Still, a group of international scientists is still working together to share some of the most important discoveries about space, the Sun, gravity, planets like Earth, and are working on important experiments that could advance the lives of people.

What Has Changed In The Past 50 Years

Today’s satellite computers and communication systems can operate for longer. As solar panel technology is more advanced, there is no need for carrying that much fuel in to space. While landing on the wrong spot could cause problems and cut off communication with probes, it is still better to use rechargeable batteries.

Navigation technology and communication technology are among the most important developments that today’s scientists can use to determine the distance between planets, and successfully create a map of the Universe.

The Apollo program back in the 1960-s cost the U.S. government $25.4 billion, and it was a huge expenditure of the overall budget. According to ExtremeTech Magazine, that amounts to “$200 billion in today’s money” (Anthony). The government, however, slowly reduced the budget on space programs. At the time of the Apollo program, 4.4 percent of the budget was spent on space exploration, this was later reduced to around 1 percent, and dropped to around 0.5 percent in the 1990-s.

The computers used during the Apollo program were so big that they filled a room. Today’s small super computers can perform the same job significantly faster. As the Clavius website confirms, “The Apollo guidance computer had the computer power equivalent only to today’s kitchen appliances, far less than what would be required to go to the moon”. However, some of the powerful computers used by Nasa today are also large, with multiple processors, microchips, storage facilities, and backup security systems. Indeed, it is important to have a backup option for all missions, simulations, and plans, in order to help continue long term projects. At the same time, it is also important to note that the computer used in the Apollo Mission, the IBM 360 was not a computer built for general use. It was created to support complicated calculations, provide a consistent performance, and security. According to the Clavius website, however, calling the system used for navigation during the Apollo mission is an exaggeration. It was simply a micro-controller built for the mission itself.

Today’s Computer Technology

Today, cloud computing, satellite communication, navigation, and the development of space cameras that work in extreme conditions, as well as the improved capabilities of cloud computing are driving space exploration. Database sizes are much larger, and computers’ capabilities to analyze data, risks, and the software engineering advancements make it possible to plan missions more effectively, and communicate between different sites on various continents, therefore, for example, data provided by a telescope in the desert can help engineers in a Nasa Center create a map and build a mission based on the information provided by their colleagues. This leads us to the main conclusion regarding computer technology development in the past five decades. Instead of simply planning and processing data, scientists can now utilize advanced communication methods to plan, design, stimulate, and alter missions. It is possible to create a two-way communication between the computer on the satellite or space probe and the space exploration base. This means that the computer in the NASA laboratory is not only able to control the spacecraft, but it can also provide direct, advanced instructions for relocation, determine the exact position of the robot, send repair teams on a regular basis, and receive live footage. Further, the computers can provide information about the potential risks, failures, and needs for repair for controllers. This advanced technology of communication is useful for long term missions, and can determine the future direction of science.

The Future Of Space Discoveries

Thanks to the advancement of computer technology and communication, users can now also track space probes, get live images from space, and get information about the materials found on different planets and moons. Back in the 1960-s, no computer technology was available for analyzing rocks, therefore, moon rocks had to be transported back to the Earth. Thanks to robotic technology that utilizes computers built in the system, researchers can allow computers to make intelligent decisions about where to land, what to analyze, and when to send images. When people talk about Android technology, and communication, they usually only consider the immediate benefits of software and applications.  However, the same technology that powers smart phones can create a better future for the entire human race. It can share files and images just like people can share their photos real time on Facebook real time. The processors and microchips of today are more reliable than they were back in the 1960-s, and this allows scientists to analyze a larger amount of data in a shorter period of time. Still, computers built for space missions are not designed for personal use, and have some specific features. Some of the computers powering space crafts are already outdated, and still work fine. A recent Computer World article (Gaudin) confirms that the computer that powers the Orion spacecraft is not smarter than a smartphone. It is 12 years old, and this means that its technology is not compatible with the latest software applications. In this respect, the fast development of computer technology is a disadvantage for space research scientists. While the computer on board of the Orion is more advanced than the one that is on other spacecrafts, it is still not comparable with the latest computers using Core i5 processors. The computer powering Hubble, sent in space in 1990, is responsible for some of the greatest discoveries of space and galaxies. Its software is considered to be outdated, however, it is still sending back stunning images about the space, planets, and their atmospheres, and dark energy. This means that future missions using robotic computer technology and today’s processors, software will lead scientists closer to understanding how the Universe works.

Conclusion

Today, people can have Skype video conferences using their small hand-held smart phones. The next spacecraft could use the same technology to share information, images, and provide live podcast for scientists. Robots can even perform experiments in space and help humans understand how the Universe work better. Just like cloud computing has helped teams of scientists collaborate in different locations, researchers will be soon able to collaborate with computers on board the same way.

Works Cited

Anthony, S.“The Apollo 11 moon landing, 45 years on: Looking back at mankind’s giant leap”   Extreme Tech. 2014. Web.

Clavius. “Technology”  n.d. Web. http://www.clavius.org/techcomm.html

Gaudin, S. “The Orion spacecraft is no smarter than your phone” 2014. Web.

Saran, C. “Apollo 11: The computers that put man on the moon” Computer Weekly. 2009. Web.

The Hubble Site. Web. <http://hubblesite.org/hubble_discoveries/breakthroughs/>