HomeTechnologyNewsMars Orbiter gets a "Windows 98 update" to speed up research

Mars Orbiter gets a “Windows 98 update” to speed up research

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The Mars Express probe is best known for detecting liquid water below the Martian surface. But now, nearly two decades after its launch, Mars Express is gaining notoriety among nerds thanks to a software update. In the words of astronaut Chris Hadfield, “How do you update Windows 98 on a spacecraft orbiting Mars?”

Space fans and computer geeks alike are excited to learn that Mars Express, which the European Space Agency (ESA) launched in 2003, runs software related to Windows 98. ESA has just updated this software to improve the spacecraft’s signal strength and ability to collect data, a preparatory step before Mars Express searches for water at the Red Planet’s south pole.