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[–] Thisismyvoatusername 2 points -1 points (+1|-2) ago 

The problem with NASA doing so ething similar is quite a bit more of a problem, though. If the HVAC at a school using old technology breaks down, there are many alternatives at all different price points.

If something NASA is using in space flight breaks down, they have a real issue. They need a componenet that satisfies all the envionmental testing, most likely at both the component and system level. They can search for a replacement part on eBay and hope they find it, or they can spend an exorbitant amount of money and time paying someone to reproduce a piece of obsolete technology (with new tooling, testing, etc.). It's one thing not to waste money. It's another to rely on technology that is no longer capable of being cost effectively replaced when it breaks.

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[–] the_devils_lettuce ago 

I'm willing to bet they have a huge stockpile of replacement parts.

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[–] Thisismyvoatusername ago 

Well, they didn't back in 2002 when it was in the news. Admittedly, I believe those were parts for test equipment, though, which do not need to be space qualified.