Jan 07, 2012
RAY: This is from the wonderful world of space travel. This puzzler was sent in by Dave Foster. I actually had to obfuscate a little, but here it is:
In the early 1960's, NASA was sending electronic gear into outer space on unmanned missions. They'd already sent a guy into space but they wanted to make sure that if they were going to send people up for longer flights, that they had a chance of surviving. NASA sent this electronic gear up to test a variety of things like radiation exposure, and so on.
The equipment kept failing, but they couldn't figure out why. Finally, someone determined that the circuits were overheating, so they installed a fan to cool off the devices.
But the problems persisted. Why?
In the early 1960's, NASA was sending electronic gear into outer space on unmanned missions. They'd already sent a guy into space but they wanted to make sure that if they were going to send people up for longer flights, that they had a chance of surviving. NASA sent this electronic gear up to test a variety of things like radiation exposure, and so on.
The equipment kept failing, but they couldn't figure out why. Finally, someone determined that the circuits were overheating, so they installed a fan to cool off the devices.
But the problems persisted. Why?
Answer:
RAY: Here's the answer. On those early, unmanned flights they didn't pressurize the cabins. And there's no air in outer space. And if there's no air to blow around, a fan --
TOM: doesn't do the squat.
RAY: Exactly. So who's our winner?
TOM: The winner this week is Harrison Schramm from Monterey, California. Congratulations Harrison!
TOM: doesn't do the squat.
RAY: Exactly. So who's our winner?
TOM: The winner this week is Harrison Schramm from Monterey, California. Congratulations Harrison!
