Cloud computing helps NASA plan long-duration space missions

This is part of an overall trend of the American government to invest in cloud computing

The American space agency (NASA) operates a cloud computing service. Within it, NASA provides its computing resources (hardware, software, storage, applications) both to researchers within the agency and to companies, agencies and research bodies related to it. One of the lines of research that interests NASA are studies that are related to understanding how people cooperate with each other and with machines, studies that are important for extended space missions.

Missions of prolonged stay in space pose new challenges, in both physiological and psychological aspects. As expressed in many movies, including the movie "Odyssey 2001" in which the computer of the spaceship "Hal" believes that the astronauts are endangering the mission the spaceship went on and tries to take control of it. One of the challenges facing the researchers is to create a computerized system that, on the one hand, will be able to make decisions in real time and, on the other hand, leave the control and command in the hands of flesh and blood astronauts.

NASA's considerable investment in cloud computing is reflected, among other things, in maintaining the scope of investment in this area, in light of the cuts the agency has suffered in recent times. This is part of an overall trend of the American administration in promoting the field, in all centers of government. The logic behind this investment is that if a small business can create its entire financial system on the Internet, there is no reason for the government to spend billions on dedicated systems that one day will need to be replaced.

On December 2 and 3, 2009, a world summit conference on cloud computing is being held in Israel, attended by government representatives from the USA, Canada, Great Britain, the European Union, China, Singapore and Israel, among others. Technological and business leaders from all over the world will also come to the conference. The conference is held by the Israeli Association for Grid Technologies (IGT). More information can be found atConference site.