Two NASA probes currently traveling to Mars won't deploy parachutes and
land softly on the surface. Instead, the pair called Deep Space 2 will
purposefully crash onto the rocky exterior at over 400 MPH. The reason?
NASA is performing a test to see what materials are crunch-proof in
anticipation of using Microsoft Windows to pilot future missions. The
software giant's flagship product, known for its remarkable failure
rate, is expected to be unable to handle controlled decents.
So why is the space agency using Windows instead of something more
reliable? It seems Bill Gates personally offered them a cut-rate deal
after his Iridium communications company went bankrupt. Bill has a
vision of Windows in space, and when his troubled satellites start
falling from the skies, the tallest Gates achievement left standing will
just be his ego.
NASA hopes to use the material, code-named "Blue Screen", to coat
future rockets and shuttles to help make them impervious to
eventual Windows failures as well.
NASA says the Deep Space 2 probes have large scoops -- about the size
of pickup truck beds -- because they don't expect Windows to be able to
accurately position tiny ones. They will leave huge holes all over
the Martian surface during soil gathering, but NASA expects to fill
these holes with the remains of smaller "patch probes" sent to upgrade the
main probes' operating systems.
Engineers at NASA say two probes are required because when one locks up,
the other will be needed to press its mate's Control-Alt-Delete keys
to reboot it.
