This mission would end because the Radio Thermal Isotope Generators (RTGs)
died. No power, no radio transmission, no matter how good the receiver is.
And if I recall correctly, the reason we can't currently hear it is because
the high gain antenna is not dead-nuts on towards earth, because of the plane
of the ecleptic, or some such.
--John
On Sunday 11 May 2003 00:10 am, TeoZ wrote:
Wether its sending back data is mute since its too far
away for that data
to get to us. Its missin was to send back data on everything it found, why
would that misson ever end since its still moving through space?
I dont understand your logic. The Voyager is ruled out because it might be
too far away to have its valid data (stuff it was made to send back on
purpose) get back to us, but the recieving equipment that will never get
any data back since the signal isnt getting back is still a valid system?
Would an old obsolete college computer that runs a 300 baud bbs still be
valid if nobody knows about it, or even called it and the college forgot to
shut it down in the last 40 years?
If somebody fires up an old 50's analog computer in a museum just to see if
it still kicks is it really "in use"?
----- Original Message -----
From: "chris" <cb(a)mythtech.net>
To: "Classic Computers" <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2003 11:46 PM
Subject: Re: Oldest computer still in current use
>What about the computer sent out in the
Voyager spacecraft in the 70's?
Or
> >is this just personal computers?
>
> Well, for my question, it doesn't matter if it is personal computer or a
> mainframe or whatever.
>
> Although I would rule out the Voyager computer for two reasons. 1: You
> can't say for sure that it is still running (is it still sending back
> data?) and 2: Its only still running because no one shut it off.
>
> However, I WOULD consider any original ground based systems that are
> still in use listening for data from Voyager to be valid. At least they
> are still serving a purpose even if they aren't getting any data.
>
> -chris
> <http://www.mythtech.net>