Aerospace

The Condor Cluster was a supercomputer built out of 1,760 Sony PlayStation 3s (PS3s) running on the Linux operating system. Built to analyse high definition satellite imagery, the Condor Cluster was in operation for just a few months before Sony disabled the use of Linux on the PS3, leaving no means to procure functioning Linux replacement units.

Concorde was certainly ahead of its time, but some of the problems its designers encountered still exist today, such as those encountered when using commercial off-the-shelf products (COTS). Here Jonathan Wilkins, director of obsolete industrial parts supplier EU Automation, explains why the obsolescence risk of COTS is just as prevalent today as it was during Concorde’s era.

2019 marked the 50th anniversary of Concorde’s first flight — it took off from Toulouse, France for its first test flight on March 2, 1969. Although no longer in operation, the development of Concorde led to the progression of pioneering technologies, which still help today’s aerospace engineers develop new high- speed aircrafts. Here Jonathan Wilkins, director at automation parts supplier EU Automation, discusses Concorde’s legacy.