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Artemis computer running two instances of MS outlook; they can't figure out why

Artemis computer running two instances of MS outlook; they can't figure out why

mooreds

Comments (236)

  • EvanAnderson
    This talk about off-the-shelf hardware in space makes me wonder, given the clear line of sight, if it would be possible to detect their Wi-Fi access points' beacons from Earth. I'm not a "radio guy" and don't know if this would be impossible, simply on the basis of physics, due to the presumably low radiated power from the APs and the limitations of the size of typical antennas on the ground. (Obviously it's possible with the right equipment. We can communicate with the Voyager probes, but that's not with a "can-tenna" and an off-the-shelf Wi-Fi card...)Edit: Anybody know how difficult it would be to keep an antenna pointed at them? I have no intuition for how fast their transit would be. I assume, since an orbit is around 90 minutes, pretty damned fast.Edit 2: Some search-engining and back-of-the-envelope not-very-good-at-trig math says the longest possible transit would be about 5 minutes, moving though about 40 degrees of arc / minute. I'm probably completely talking out my ass, though.It feels like it would be do-able to keep a directional antenna trained on a target moving at that speed.
  • stackskipton
    Everyone likes to point and laugh, sure, I'm getting a chuckle as well.However, on more practical level, what are other options? Outlook, the desktop application works really well with local copies, is pretty low bandwidth and very familiar to end users.IMAP with Thunderbird is probably only other option that would satisfy the requirements.EDIT: Yes they need to get email in space. It's easy way to send documents back and forth.
  • xg15
    Moon landing 1969: 4 KB RAM for the guidance computer is enough.Moon landing 2026: Two instances of MS Outlook sort of started themselves on the guidance computer and we have no idea why.
  • PTOB
    I'll bet someone's trying to run the New Outlook and classic Outlook at the same time.
  • nasretdinov
    The poor technicians having to RDP with (what I imagine must be) a horrible latency. Although still might be better than some corporate environments lol
  • liendolucas
    Is this actually true? What's next? A BSOD? I would have ever ever in my life bet that Microsoft software could be shipped in a spacecraft carrying human beings. Unbeliveable.
  • ano-ther
    This is the modern version of the slave reminding the Roman emperor that he is mortal:https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4pywzk/did_r...
  • jmacklin308
    We migrated earlier this year and had a similar problem. Outlook (classic) works differently than the OWA version. They keep the classic version so people don't spontaneously throw a chair out a window. It's being phased out slowly.
  • PretzelPirate
    I don't understand the title.It doesn't seem like they are trying to figure out why two copies of outlook are installed, they're trying to figure out why neither is giving them access to their email.
  • nmstoker
    The two Outlook thing happens all the time at work.It's silly but never causes me issues, I just close the second one. Haven't ever figured out why it happens.Did the Artemis crew any side effects / problems tied to Outlook?
  • ashton314
    Please imagine the luxury of being SO FAR AWAY from all the crap happening on our planet right now, only to be spoiled by some lousy marketing emails from Microslop hawking their latest Copilot incursion.
  • nickandbro
    Good thing they didn’t bring copilot with them
  • kaybe
    Oh ya I remember how some computer pulled a windows update over a satellite connection during a research flight (aircraft). That was super expensive, wow. Now Microsoft servers are banned at the outgoing point since you couldn’t reliably stop it the computer itself and new teams with new computers come in.
  • FerretFred
    Someone, somewhere has an unwatched phone waiting for an authorisation code response...
  • giancarlostoro
    One's the "Metro" instance or whatever its called, the other is probably Win32.
  • cocodill
    Maybe for emails and calendars, wouldn't want them to arrive and miss the appointment.
  • tempodox
    Wasn’t it Bill Gates’ dream that every coffee machine should run Windows? I guess he’s got his wish. Also, redundancy: Imagine going into space and then have no email! Can’t let that happen.
  • netsharc
    The astronaut's quote needs to be a billboard ad.. "I also see I have 2 instances of Outlook, and neither of those are working".
  • amai
    Every car has more reliable software onboard.
  • dgb23
    Bashing on MS products and on ReactJS (apparently used by spacex UIs) is a common pastime here and I'm guilty of it myself.But here we're talking about actual space rockets flying to space with humans in them.My expectation would be that something like https://tigerstyle.dev/ would be followed or the NASA rules linked from there https://spinroot.com/gerard/pdf/P10.pdf
  • lwansbrough
    May need triple redundancy for MS Outlook for the next mission.
  • amelius
    Redundancy is a thing in aerospace engineering.
  • AIorNot
    guys former NASA Mission Control Web Tool Team and OCA here (Orbital Comms Adapter office which was a backroom position)Crews have been using thinkpad laptops (personal laptops since the 2005) on the ISS and Shuttle. Artemis is likely an extension of thisLaptops go through a long space hardening and verification process. Windows and Outlook is the result of thatWe used to do "Mail Syncs" which taking the outlook file and pushing it up to the crews laptop doing a comm window via TDRSS network -that how astronauts got their emailis this high tech - no -does it work and been done for years yes.
  • dminik
    Well, I wasn't that worried for the astronauts before, but now that I know they're running windows, I'm not so sure.
  • rmrfchik
    I didn't expect they are running Windows up there. Shouldn't be specialized and curated ... smthing else?
  • AmVess
    Running Windows in outer space takes some pretty big balls. Gives me a cold sweat just thinking about it.
  • anthk
    NNCP would have more sense there.
  • workfromspace
    OMG, this almost became real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zpCOYkdvTQ("Fuck Microsoft" scene from the Netflix TV Series: Space Force)
  • mememememememo
    Enshittification has reached space. Woohoo! We did it. Just use the web version! Love to know how how the web version loads with a couple of seconds network latency.
  • unethical_ban
    I want to say something like "oh well, this is certainly a non-critical piece of software". Hopefully it's the convenient dashboard and there are other, more hardened consoles for fallback or something.But in all seriousness, and without glibness or sarcasm: I cannot comprehend how there is any "unexpected" software running on that spacecraft, regardless of operating system.EDIT*** For those who like me only watched the video and didn't read the thread: This is on a laptop that is non-critical, it is not a part of the spacecraft. Whew. Now I'm sad that one of the Linux distros didn't try to pitch themselves to the astronauts for a sponsorship... Would have been especially on brand for Pop_OS.
  • fuzzfactor
    From the comments:‪Andy Meyers‬ ‪@andymeyers10.bsky.social‬ · 3h I said “launch window”, not “Launch Windows”!
  • rich_sasha
    Is it just me that finds it terrifying that theres any Windows bits on a spaceship?
  • allears
    Why in the name of all that's holy would you use a Microsoft product on a mission like this? Just about the only thing you can trust about MS is that their software is buggy.
  • varjag
    "Houston, we've got two problems"
  • Rooster61
    We can't even leave the planet without MS enshittifying our equipment. God, I really want out of this timeline
  • golfer
    Why on God's green earth is Windows running on the Artemis spaceship?
  • rationalist
    computer virusnoun A program which can covertly transmit itself between computers via networks (especially the Internet) or removable storage such as CDs, USB drives, floppy disks, etc., often causing damage to systems and data. A software program capable of reproducing itself and usually capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer.
  • scottburgess33
    [dead]
  • Chihuahua0633
    Did they consider scrapping the humans, and just installing co-pilot? heh .. heh.. /s
  • bilekas
    There was a literal meme in spaceforce about this. Have we learnt nothing ?Microslop will now troll people outside of the Earth, a great achievement for them.So does this mean they now also have... 2 Copilots... ? Terrible joke.