Sign in / up

back to article UK tech biz grinding to halt as Reg space programme sucks in talent

The Special Projects Bureau is raising a few pints of foaming real ale today in honour of Escher Technologies, which has kindly offered to probe the intimate inner workings of our Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator (LOHAN) project. Click here for a bigger version of the LOHAN graphic The Aldershot-based company "researches, …

COMMENTS

House rules Send corrections
This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Callam McMillan

    Formal Spec

    Having had a chance to study Formal Specification and "provably correct" software at university, all I can say is be glad someone else is doing it for you!

    1 0
    1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Formal Spec

      Agreed. Time to turn this stuff over to the experts...

      0 0
  2. The Indomitable Gall

    Fawning over sponsors...?

    How very un-Reg-like. It's a good enough advert for Escher without the gushing hyperbole, surely?

    0 0
    1. dotdavid
      Reply Icon
      Pint

      Re: Fawning over sponsors...?

      "we look forward to discussing the details over a pint or two of real ale."

      Me, I reckon the pint or two of real ale came before the article did ;-)

      0 0
  3. hugo tyson
    Coat

    "Provably correct"

    I can't help always misreading that as "probably correct"....

    1 0
  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Meanwhile?

    Does El Reg have a top secret programme to kidnap any surviving Nazi rocket scientists and put them to work tinkering with LOHAN's strap-on thruster?

    Because that would make an epic movie.

    0 0
    1. TeeCee Gold badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Meanwhile?

      Can't see that working. For a start, if you can find any surviving Nazi Rocket Scientists I can't see them getting excited about LOHAN's strap-on.

      A cup of Horlicks and the possibility of a game of dominos might pique their interests though.

      0 0
      1. Dave Bell
        Reply Icon
        Black Helicopters

        Re: Meanwhile?

        Iron Sky 2: The Uranus Probe

        1 0
  5. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge
    Coat

    Escher?

    Great to see a UK engineering company pitching in to help, but I'd be a little wary of letting anyone called Escher help with geometry designs......

    3 0
  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Provably correct source...

    ...which is then compiled with gcc, icc, iar or some other compiler, linked against a set of libraries such as glibc, possibly installed on an OS like Linux or VxWorks (surely not WinCE or embedded XP?), and the whole lot run on a CPU.

    All of which whose design correctness is an enourmous leap of faith. Provably correct source does not make a proven correct system. Have you ever looked at the source code glibc?!?!

    Personally I don't think that you're taking good enough care of these poor brave Playmonauts. One can only speculate as to what sort of herbage you keep them dosed up on for them to run a risk as reckless as getting into an SPB vehicle. Surely even an individual with such little brain (and a Bakelite brain at that) would shy away from the lunatic folly of a flight in such a flimsy flying machine?????????????????????

    In NASA they made jokes about riding a million pound bomb containing millions of parts all made by the cheapest contractor. Humanity is now clearly doomed given that mission critical jobs are being done by some bloke down the pub whose only contractual obligation is that he might buy you a pint of best if it doesn't work properly.

    Of course, if you were going to write it all in ADA then I'd have every confidence in LOHAN. (smirk, snigger)

    1 0
  7. david 12 Silver badge

    ...without whom there would be no British space programme. ®

    You are forgetting Sky TV:

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/18/space_business_spaceport_report/

    0 0
This topic is closed for new posts.