One more reason NASA should switch to Macs

Y2K-like fears create shuttle scheduling crunch, New Scientist

Computer glitch limits next shuttle launch, Reuters

“The shuttle computers were never envisioned to fly through a year-end changeover,” space shuttle program manager Wayne Hale told a briefing.”

Editor’s note: While some in NASA are concerned about this issue, others are not as worried. According to someone in the astronaut office, tests were conducted to see if going from one year to the next during a mission would be an issue. “We called it YERO for “Year End Roll Over Test”. YERO was an all day long test with MCC in the loop. It required bringing GPC’s down and up per normal flight procedures. Some of us spent many hours at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Lab (SAIL) performing this test. SAIL or OV-95 as it is refered to in the drawings is a replica of the shuttle wiring with flight rated boxes and software. Basically it is the real thing. The passing criteria of a SAIL is that the test has to be performed from beginning to end without any procedural mistakes. We never had a problem with the rollover.”