NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Uses Same PowerPC Chipset Found in 1998 G3 iMac

[MacRumors]

NASA's Perseverance rover, which recently made history landing on the surface of Mars, is powered by the same processor used in an iMac more than 23 years old.

Image Credit: NASA​

As reported by NewScientist (via Gizmodo), the rover includes the PowerPC 750 processor, the same chip used in the G3 iMac in 1998.

The main chipset is the same; however, there are differences between the version of the processor shipped in a consumer computer and the one exploring space. The processor in the rover is built to withstand temperatures between -67 and 257 degrees Fahrenheit (−55 and 125 degrees Celsius) and comes with an added $200,000 price tag.

The PowerPC 750 processor was ahead of the game for its time, featuring a single-core, 233MHz processor, 6 million transistors (compared to today's 16 billion in a single chip), and based on 32-bit architecture.

Apple used PowerPC chips in Mac computers until it transitioned to Intel in 2005. Right now, Apple's going through a similar change, moving away from Intel to deploy its own custom Apple silicon in Macs.

Article Link: NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Uses Same PowerPC Chipset Found in 1998 G3 iMac

 

[b13o0r12e3]

if a more than two decade old processor is good enough to find out evidence of extraterrestrial past life, then I got no excuse to be buying anything that Tosser Prosser is predicting anytime soon

 

[Dejesus]

Why so old processor?

 

[Glideslope]

Now it’s all clear to me. I now know why the Tangerine iMac still sits on the shelf in the basement archive.

 

[krakman]

23 year old CPU for $200,000...... ?

 

[Quicksilver867]

Still got an OG "Snow" G3 lurking on a shelf. Go little rover go!

 

[09872738]

Why so old processor?

Because super-reliability is more important than compute power. The G3 is also used e.g. as mission computer in fighter jets.
The feature is called fail-safe

 

[ArPe]

My M1 with Neural Engine laughs at your PowerPC 750 AltiVec. I will rule Mars.

 

[MacTiki]

“...and comes with an added $200,000 price tag.”

Behind closed doors at Apple HQ they are currently working on pricing for the new M1x line.

They stop and wonder for a second if the people are ready for a 6 figure Mac.

Thanks NASA.

 

[Scottsoapbox]

Only an Apple site can offhandly mention a $200K CPU without batting an eye.

 

[Glideslope]

Because super-reliability is more important than compute power. The G3 is also used e.g. as mission computer in fighter jets.

Precisely. Qualifications for use in a NASA mission must be at practically 0 chance of failure. There are many articles out there detailing NASA’s selection process. It’s intence.

 

[TehFalcon]

good ol PowerPC, if there is one thing about PPC its that it's always been an extremely stable and reliable architecture.

 

[TheOldChevy]

Nice to read.

Do you have any more information on how they hardened the CPU ? Special technology ? Special design rules ? Redundancy ?

 

[juanm]

This is not suprising. New Horizons used the same CPU as the original PlayStation.

The CPU from the original PlayStation is guiding a probe to Pluto

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[MJaP]

Wow, wouldn't have thought they'd still be making them... or equivalents. They'll be using vacuum tubes next, or selotaping a Speak and Spell to a Big Trak: "Next spell martian"

 

[Larsvonhier]

good ol PowerPC, if there is one thing about PPC its that it's always been an extremely stable and reliable architecture.

and the mission name was, ah, Perseverance! ;-)

 

[wubsylol]

It's also radiation hardened, which is where the price tag comes from (and also the most important thing setting it aside from the actual PowerPC 750 found in the iMac G3)

 

[yaxomoxay]

Why so old processor?

Because they need to be safe, safe, safe. Everything needs to be known about it. They need to be proven tools. And honestly, processing power isn’t that important, most processors on board will handle one or two specific tasks.

 

[gmarm]

 

[Agit21]

And here is was wondering why nasa can’t find evidence of Life on Mars/Moon.

 

[Kissmo1980]

But does it do the power-on chime like the Mac and WALLE?

 

[PlayUltimate]

Like others, I have a Lime and a Tangerine in the attic. I guess it's time to start the next project.

 

[Jamalien]

Why so old processor?

Older processors are more resilient to radiation. Thus they require less shielding, which is heavy. Remember; Mars doesn't have an intrinsic global magnetic field, so incident solar energetic particle radiation is much higher than on Earth

 

[lyngo]

Insert G5 PowerBook coming next Tuesday joke here… ?

 

[Blackstick]

Why so old processor?

Anything launched into space has typically been in a multiple years long project, sometimes decade(s) long. It also usually costs a gazillion dollars.

What matters most is reliability and predictability... especially for something going millions (or billions) of miles away and not coming back that we can’t send astronauts to physically fix.

Most of the closed loop systems aboard aircraft, spacecraft, submarines, weapons and similar applications have very old, proven, but mundane processors and operating systems aboard... the last thing you want is “the new kid on the block” when the stakes are so high. Although parts of it are modernized as needed, the ECU in a typical car has the processing power no more than a Texas Instruments calculator... some of the software in Boeing and Airbus jets is virtually unchanged since the 1980s as well.