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by notorandit 69 days ago
The point is not running Windows or Outlook on a PC in space. The point is that the Software was not sealed, downloading upgrades while in space, sending telemetry back to Microsoft (or to whoever else). Those PC are like any other instrument onboard the spacecraft: it's status needs to be known and predictable by NASA.

Not to talk about the amount of unknown and unpredictable extra traffic caused by those PCs onto the "space internet links" which can easily clog any other communication.

And not to talk about smartphones.

This is actually rocket (and space) science, not the horse market fair!
3 comments
ttflee 69 days ago
Hope that the `metered connection` option was toggled on.
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porridgeraisin 69 days ago
Lol.

Windows update in space has to be a banned torture method.

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Bender 69 days ago
Not just space. There was a time around 2000 or so when US military tanks were running Windows NT and they did what one would expect, BSOD Blue Screen of Death. No idea if that ever resulted in casualties.
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raverbashing 69 days ago
> it's status needs to be known and predictable by NASA

Ah yes but do you think MS gives a flap about this?

Same thing with the recent Fedramp certification. "Hey they're using it so we might as well certify"

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zelphirkalt 69 days ago
Well, it is the other way around actually: NASA should not give a flap about MS tooling, and naturally avoid it completely. Whoever thought of having an Outlook or even 2 out of all the things on there should look for another job, because they clearly cannot be trusted with astronaut lives.
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conorcleary 69 days ago
One is Russian malware and the other is Chinese ;)
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m3047 69 days ago
Microsoft beleaguered a federal agency which pretends to be a lot larger than it is (and has a lot of help doing it) with nonresponsive filings. The employees of that agency, FedRAMP, referred to Azure as "a pile of shit" but ultimately approved it anyway.

   https://www.propublica.org/article/microsoft-cloud-fedramp-cybersecurity-government
It's hard to find hard numbers (I looked), but in the "FedRAMP over 10 years" chart partway down in this article FedRAMP themselves claims to have approximately 25 employees, which (I infer prior to DOGE) was augmented to approximately 80 staff with contractors.

   https://www.fedramp.gov/2025-09-30-fedramp-built-a-modern-foundation-in-fy25-to-deliver-massive-improvements-in-fy26/
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