Space Shuttle fleet to get moving maps, catch up to GA

NASA is set to roll out it's final software update for the Space Shuttle fleet before their pending retirement and no it isn't Vista SP1. The 33rd Operational Increment, or OI33, as it is called will give the shuttle pilot and commander a top-down view of the orbiter and locations for abort sites during ascent and orbital insertion. Endeavour, just freshly back from it's jaunt on STS-123 last week, will be the first shuttle to receive the upgrade in time for it's October launch on STS-126. The new capability will vastly improve situational awareness and the ability to handle the potential for a Main Engine shutdown during ascent, even though that has never happened, ever. I'm glad to see our nation's most expensive pride and joy when it comes to aerospace engineering finally getting the same moving map capability that you can find in a Cessna 172.

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