NASA Ends Use of ThinkPad Laptops, Citing Reasons for Brand Switch

NASA has replaced the ThinkPad laptops used on the International Space Station (ISS). Astronauts will now utilise HP ZBook laptops for future operations.

This replacement marks the end of Lenovo’s laptop era after 33 years of use in space. The ThinkPad 750C was the first to reach orbit in 1993, travelling to space via the Endeavour space shuttle.

At that time, the ThinkPad 750C was sold for approximately US$4,699, featuring a 10.4-inch TFT screen and a 486 processor.

It has been 10 years since NASA began phasing out the use of ThinkPads. In April 201<0xA0>16, NASA initiated a three-year process to transition laptop usage from ThinkPad to the HP ZBook workstation, as reported by BGR.

The ThinkPad T61P was the final model from that lineage used by NASA, with services remaining available until 2023. However, NASA has not provided information regarding whether all T61P units have been retired or how many are still in use today.

BGR noted that in 2016, the ThinkPad T61P was already six years old. Due to hardware updates, NASA had sufficient time to transition to a newer workstation platform.

The ZBook was selected because it offers a modern and powerful platform. Additionally, it features newer processors along with larger storage and memory capacities.

These new laptops are also suitable for environments far above the Earth, as they possess high levels of durability and reliability.

In 2016, NASA sent five ZBook units to the ISS. Currently, 100 laptops are in use on the station.