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Ask HN: Ideal language for running the systems of an Orion class spaceship?
In science fiction tv, movies and books we often see and hear about systems and sub-systems working together to run the entire ship. And almost always there are scenarios where the "OS" for the ship allows quick hacks to re-purpose modules or re-route data/power across areas.
Being a developer, I have always wondered whether there is a language currently that can withstand the rigours of deep space? Or it is something yet to be invented?
Such a programming language should have certain features - fast execution times, versatility, good driver support for hardware components, ability to script in, baked in support for messaging,etc.
- jharohit 11y agoI have found that the International Space Station Flight Software Guidance, Navigation, and Control uses 'Ada' http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~mfeldman/ada-project-summary.html http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~mfeldman/ada-project-summary.html
- dandrews 11y agoAn oldie but a goodie: "Lisping at JPL". http://www.flownet.com/gat/jpl-lisp.html http://www.flownet.com/gat/jpl-lisp.html
- jharohit 11y agowell it does mention how they had 'political pressures' to move to C++. I believe C++ is great when you are talking about performance, something which is absolutely critical when you are talking about calculating minute adjustments to trajectories on the fly really fast. But the programming language we are looking for must be a 'hackable' one - something for you which you can hack together a fix or bypass fairly easily and quickly in case of situations encountered in interplanetary space. C++ is definitely not something I see capable of achieving that.
- jharohit 11y agoSeems like ESA has put its money on MicroPython https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9699798 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9699798