This is part of an experimental computer, developed in the mid 1980s by the Goodyear Aerospace Corporation for the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The computer's name derives from its ability to operate on large arrays of data in parallel (i.e. on many numbers at once). By contrast, computers of conventional design perforn operations on one or at most a few pieces of data per cycle. One intended use for such a computer was the analysis of large amounts of data from remote sensing satellites.
The Massively Parallel Processor represented one of several approaches to the problem of processing data in parallel. Nearly all modern supercomputers use parallel processing, although not all follow this machine's architecture.
Transferred from NASA to the Museum in 1995.
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
Goodyear Aerospace Corporation
Dimensions
3-D: 111.8 x 71.1 x 200.7cm (44 x 28 x 79 in.)
Materials
Case: sheet steel cabinet, blue
Circuit boards: epoxy
Circuits: silicon integrated circuits
Alternate Name
Massively Parallel Processor Expansion Unit
Inventory Number
A19960046000
Credit Line
Transferred from NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.
