re command loss timer re galileo update in article apr bnr ca jcobban bnr ca jim cobban writes having read in the past about the fail safe mechanisms on spacecraft i had assumed that the command loss timer had that sort of function however i always find disturbing the oxymoron of a no op command that does something if the command changes the behavior or status of the spacecraft it is not a no op command using your argument the noop operation in a computer isn t a noop since it causes the pc to be incremented of course this terminology comes from a jet propulsion laboratory which has nothing to do with jet propulsion of course the complaint comes from someone who hasn t a clue as to what he s talking about carl j lydick internet carl sol gps caltech edu nsi hepnet sol carl disclaimer hey i understand vaxen and vms that s what i get paid for my understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level or below so unless what i m saying is directly related to vax vms don t hold me or my organization responsible for it if it is related to vax vms you can try to hold me responsible for it but my organization had nothing to do with it
