Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer

The Space Shuttle used five identical general-purpose computers for flight management and control. In the event of a failure of the Shuttle's primary avionics software system, one of the five general purpose computers would be designated as a "backup," and it would be connected to one of these Backup Flight Controllers. (An orbiter carried three of these.) These backup controllers were never needed in any of the Shuttle missions, but they were considered essential to the safety of the crew.

NASA tranferred this unflown controller to the Museum in 2012.

Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.

Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type EQUIPMENT-Electronics Manufacturer Unknown
Dimensions 3-D: 38.1 × 9 × 18.5cm (1 ft. 3 in. × 3 9/16 in. × 7 5/16 in.)
Materials Ferrous Alloy
Aluminum
Paint
Plastic
Electrical Connectors
Inventory Number A20181403000 Credit Line Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.