KitGuru KitGuru.net – Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards
If consoles don't work out then I suppose Sony could always get in to the Space exploration business as the CPU from the original PlayStation is currently powering a probe to Pluto. The old MIPS R3000 CPU was repurposed by NASA back in 2006 to monitor sensors, power thrusters and transmit data.
This isn't the first time old Sony technology has been used for space research, a few weeks back we learned of a scientist using a network of PlayStation 3 consoles to power research in to black holes.
Image source: Imgtec blog
NASA does prefer to use older technology rather than the cutting edge for reliability purposes. The Orion spacecraft which may one day be sent off to Mars is powered by an IBM processor from 2002.
The probe to Pluto is now on its final stretch to its destination following its launch back in 2006. The arrival date is currently projected as the 14th of July this year so it has been quite a long journey.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: Its crazy to think that the same chip found in the original PlayStation is now off to parts of space that man-made objects have yet to explore.
Source: Imgtec Blog
Via: The Verge
PS3:1 Xbox:0
Not surprised too much, relatively high power and reliable chip, my PS1 broke because of the optical reader.
People often forget that running a satellite is a simple task.
So was a game, back in the day, nowadays people would struggle to make a decent game that could fit on a 600MB CD but in the era of the PS1 there were thousands. We have become dependant on super computers for the simplest tasks, when all we realty need for a satellite probe is a Que to the transmitter and the ability to turn off and on thrusters.
-Shit, the CPU we were going to use for this probe turned out defective…
-No worries, we’ll just take that PS over there apart and use that one.
-Well, yeah, I guess that works…
And what does the ps3 and xbox have anything to do with the playstation “ONE” generation……..
most people also don’t know that they have to redesign manufacturing of chips to take the stresses of launching these things into space. and this takes a few years coz normal chips would shatter under vibrations. and therefore they are stuck with old tech. this chip definitely wasn’t manufacured undr the same process node as the original ps, maybe even 130nm or more
Black hole research?
Which has zero to do with the playstation ONE generation chip mentioned in the above article…….
;(