#6 – L.U.N.A.R. Computer

The original Solar lab computers, much like most other computers in the world in the early 80s, were nothing more than room sized calculators.  Using the standard Vector Processing (that is a central CPU that delegated processing tasks to multiple processors then later organizing the resulting data) the computers built for Dr. Hannes were running at a basic (for it’s time) processing speed of of 1.1 GigaFLOPS (or 1.1 billion calculations per second). When the U.S. Government was brought in to fund and secure Dr. Hannes’ work, a team of scientists and engineers was also brought in to assist in the research.  Within this group was a team led by Irish computer engineer Jonathan O’Colvin, PhD.  O’Colvin began right away rebuilding the entire computer system.  Six months later, the LUNAR Computer was complete.

The LUNAR Computer is a self aware, highly adaptive Multi-Quantum processor SuperComputer capable of speeds theoretically up to 1.5 zettaFLOPS (that is 1.5 octillion calculations per second).  That speed is stated as theoretical because the only way to provide enough power to operate the computer at full will be when the solar energy converter is actually activated. Operated on the Portsburg power grid, LUNAR can only function at approximately 50% of its full capacity.  The computer has a single core which resides at the center of the SOLAR Lab and is networked to most of the compatible computers in the Solar Lab building as well as the entire uPAST campus via a small wireless chip that is attached to each CPU.

O’Colvin has programmed the one of a kind system with an adaptive form of artificial intelligence.  Upon it’s initial boot the system was nothing more than a very large, very fast computer. As time has progressed, LUNAR has become self aware and is learning more and more each day.

When fully functional LUNAR will also operate and maintain the connection between all three SECT (Solar Ejection Collection and Transmission) satellites that are in a geosynchronous orbit above the SOLAR Lab.