HP Forum Archive 14

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NASA Calculator Sighting Message #1 Posted by Larry Corrado, USA (WI) on 7 Jan 2004, 11:06 p.m. FWIW… While watching a recording of yesterday's (1/6/04) PBS Nova show about the NASA Mars lander, I saw a 2 or 3 second view of a calculator on the worktable. The machine was partially obscured by papers on top of the upper third of the machine. Unfortunately, it appears to not have been an HP. Judging from size, coloring, and arrangement of buttons, my best guess is that it was a 1992 TI-36X SOLAR, or possibly a 1991 TI-35X. For others who may have a recording of the show, the scene in question took place about 37 minutes into the show (I say "about" because my recording did not begin at the exact beginning of the show.), just after they discovered "squidding" problems in their parachute. Larry

Re: NASA Calculator Sighting Message #2 Posted by andy on 8 Jan 2004, 11:49 a.m., in response to message #1 by Larry Corrado, USA (WI) I was watching the same show. I saw the non-hp calculator you mentioned...but earlier in the show there was an HP shown...it was either an 11 or 15C and it was clearly visible on top of a desk. Andy

Re: NASA Calculator Sighting Message #3 Posted by Fred Lusk (CA) on 8 Jan 2004, 8:54 p.m., in response to message #1 by Larry Corrado, USA (WI) Perhaps the TI calc was responsible for the problems with the parachute :-) Fred

Re: Another NASA Calculator Sighting Message #4 Posted by Paul Brogger on 9 Jan 2004, 1:46 p.m., in response to message #1 by Larry Corrado, USA (WI) NASA's "Spirit" rover seems to have landed in a fortuitous spot. The latest NASA HP calculator sighting has many experts reconsidering their assumptions concerning advanced life forms on the planet. However one scientist cautioned, "While the Martians have obviously made some intelligent choices in the selection of their tools, this says nothing of the intelligent use of those tools. Any technology may be misused." Meanwhile, imaging experts from Texas Instruments searched in vain for evidence of other models, contending that a TI would more likely have been solar powered, and hence amenable to further investigation. JPL controllers, however, haven't given up on the object's possible operability, noting the ironically-named "Pioneer" models' legendary durability and reliability. They are said to be considering how to re-task the Spirit rover to effect a power-up . . . ;^)

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