This is the processor unit of the CDC 3800, a computer that was used at the Consolidated Space Test Center in Sunnyvale, California, to operate Air Force satellites from the 1960s through the early 1990s.
The CDC 3800 was a large mainframe computer optimized for handling problems that required a lot of numeric processing. Control Data Corporation of Minneapolis-St. Paul introduced the 3800 in the early 1960s. The 48-bit computer used discrete transistors for logic, had a memory of 128 kilobytes, and had a 48-bit word length. A full system cost about $1.9 million.
Display Status
This object is on display in James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
INSTRUMENTS-Computers, General Purpose
Manufacturer
Control Data Corporation
Dimensions
3-D: 208.3 x 61 x 190.5cm (82 x 24 x 75 in.)
Materials
Backplane: many short, thin insulated wires
Circuit cards: epoxy boards with metal connectors
Components: transistors, resistors with approximately 4 transistors per card
Doors: hinged Plexiglas and aluminum
Frame: steel chassis
Alternate Name
CDC 3800 Launch Computer Processor
Inventory Number
A19930082000
Credit Line
Transferred from the U.S. Air Force
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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