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.