Uses of computer in SPACE

What is computer? A computer is a general purpose device that

can be programmed to carry out a set of arithmetic or logical operations automatically. Since a sequence of operations can be readily changed, the computer can solve more than one kind of problem.

There are thousands uses of computers in different aspects of life.

All over the world, 80 percent of the people use a computer ...

Usage of computer

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We will discuss in detail the uses of computer in space

Different uses of computers in space!• Weather forecasting • Global Positioning System (GPS)• Communications satellite• Space aviation• Space exploration• Space Photography• Computers in Spaceflight• Astronomy

The use of computer models became widespread mainly throughout the 1960s, as the first weather satellites were launched. The types of computer models that are used in forecasts depend mostly on the type of climate and weather conditions. 

Weather forecasting

A global positioning system (GPS) contains 24 Department of Defense GPS satellites that are used for location and navigation purposes.With the help of Personal computers (Laptops and mobile phones) you can navigate yourself throughout the world.

Global Positioning System

Communications satellite

• A communications satellite is an artificial satellite sent to space for the purpose of telecommunications and we receive messages through highly advanced computers.

• After the 1990s, satellite communication technology has been used as a means to connect to the Internet via broadband data connections.

Space Aviation

• Computers have been used for years in aviation. They started off helping navigation calculations and were analogue (cams, wheels and cogs etc.) and heavy. Now they control most aircraft systems.

• The biggest difference computers have made is to reduce the workload and where you used to have two pilots, a flight engineer and navigator, you now only need a crew of two (and it could be argued only one in some instances).

• Computers and computer logic are behind advances such as Ground Proximity Warning Systems, TCAS, Flight Envelope Protection, etc... all of which contribute to enhancing the safety of commercial flight.

Space exploration

• Space exploration is the ongoing discovery and exploration of celestial structures in outer space by means of continuously evolving and growing space technology.

• The modern digital computer has been fundamental to the space exploration program.

• the evolution and growth of computer technology is suggestively parallel to the growth in space technology.

Space Photography

• Astrophotography is a specialized type of photography for recording images of astronomical objects and large areas of the night sky.

• This is accomplished by using computer controlled altazimuth telescope mounts to keep celestial objects centered while the earth rotates.

• Images can be brightened and manipulated in a computer to adjust color and increase the contrast.

• Urban astrophotography's use special light-pollution or narrow-band filters and advanced computer processing techniques to remove ambient urban light from the background of their images

Editing panel of computer for space photography

Computers in Spaceflight(The NASA Experience)

• The first manned spaceflight program to use computers continuously in all mission phases was Apollo. Here mission controllers watch computer-driven displays while astronauts explore the lunar surface after a computer-controlled descent.

An IBM System/360 Model 91 at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

Astronomy

• Astronomy is the branch of science which deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole.

• The Computer Support Representative (CSR) for the Astronomy Department is Mark Erickson. He is responsible for overseeing computer support for the department.

• Computers are very important to Astronomers. In so many ways, this tool has worked its way into just about every aspect from data storage and data analysis to automatically running a specific list of commands from across the world.

A computer in Astronomy Lab At Furman University USA

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan Cray XC30 fastest supercomputer for astronomy

Astronomers use computer for the following purposes

• Internet Research• Image Processing and Analysis• Telescope Control• Star Chart - Planetarium Software• Remote Access