Maglite spotted on the ISS

[HitecDrftr]

I couldn't believe it! Was watching a youtube video tour of the space station when I spotted a Maglite attached to the wall. In this of all places, you would think power and effeciency would be at a premium.

Here's a link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgBgmw-2U8c

MagLite spotted at about 3:31 into the video. (Don't forget to click on the "watch in high quality" link on the lower right side of the video. It was shot in high def.)

Be sure to watch parts II, III, and IV to get the whole tour. (Youtube only allows 10 min of video at a time). A second MagLite (4 or 5 D) can be spotted in part II of the video.

-Hitec-

 

[TONY M]

There was a thread about this before http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=166295

I suppose you just can't beat a M@g when it comes down to dependability.
Good enough for NASA good enough for me!

 

[chewy78]

half ways through? cant find it

 

[65535]

Very likely was a mag charger runtime/output/rechargeable/american company make it a pretty obvious choice.

 

[chewy78]

at least a 4 d cell

 

[A/V Dude]

Cheap. as in fit budget.

 

[HitecDrftr]

There was a thread about this before http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=166295

I suppose you just can't beat a M@g when it comes down to dependability.
Good enough for NASA good enough for me!

I should have known...

 

[chewy78]

reahehehe

 

[Illum]

you know those IBM thinkpads on board that carries all the driver data to calculate orbital dynamics? all of their battery packs have been removed and a custom power supply was retrofitted and linked all of them together to somewhere outside. Supposedly no lithiums, primary or secondary, is allowed to float inside the ISS, due to safety concerns. I guess we're not the only ones that watched the dell laptop burning video...:shrug:

no lithiums = no surefires, its that simple

 

[Timothybil]

It's simple, really. Maglight was on someone's list as an approved vendor, with all the testing and certifications needed to meet whatever specs NASA was using, so they got picked. After having worked six months on a federal bid, I can totally understand doing that. I mean, having the choice between an hours work writing up a fully compliant product or spending three months getting something else certified where your budget is paying for all the testing, etc., which would you choose?

 

[CN63]

Welcome to my worls

22 years as a Contracting Officer (purchasing agent) for DoD and I can tell you the last poster hit it dead on.

 

[shadowjk]

Re: Welcome to my worls

I vaguely recall reading that when they brought an ipod up on the shuttle they had the battery pack replaced with alkaline batteries. I guess they didn't get all that much playtime out of it, but they probably don't have all that much time left over anyway

 

[meuge]

Just imagine - the extra mass of the Maglite probably cost us, as taxpayers, something like $50'000 per flashlight, compared to light-weight LED lights, not to mention the mass of the batteries...

So I guess getting another product certified doesn't sound too bad, now does it... although the certification would've probably been inflated to $10'000'000 or something ridiculous.

Government contracts are a sad sad world, where 99% of the cost goes towards supporting the bureaucracy, and we're lucky if the remaining 1% actually accomplishes anything.

 

[shadowjk]

Read the linked thread, very informative, especially the bit about what high quality flashlights were available 25 years ago.. I imagine it'd cost even more to replace the existing lights..