# Is there Internet access on the ISS?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-internet-access-on-the-iss/673669>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 11, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-internet-access-on-the-iss/673669 "2013-11-11T20:11:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-internet-access-on-the-iss/673669/21 "2013-11-12T21:56:03Z")

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> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#):
>
> NASA uses modified laptops on the ISS more for reasons of cooling than things like radiation. The lack of convection in a microgravity environment means that air doesn’t circulate well through a laptop and you can get overheating problems, even considering the laptop’s normal fans.

Can you expand on this? In what way are they modified?

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**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-internet-access-on-the-iss/673669/22 "2013-11-13T20:07:15Z")

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> [@Quintas](#):
>
> Can you expand on this? In what way are they modified?

This [link](http://www.tested.com/science/space/449539-how-fast-isss-internet-and-other-space-questions-answered/)and this [link](http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/11g6p1/do_astronauts_have_internet_in_space_if_they_do/c6m86ob)explains the modifications, which is mainly for cooling, and to run on a 28 volts DC power supply.

I also found it interesting that Nasa is migrating away from [Windows for the ISS laptops to Linux](http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2267703/nasa-migrates-iss-laptops-from-windows-to-linux).

And that it is problematic that they use [Lenovo laptops manufactured by the Chinese.](http://nasawatch.com/archives/2013/05/forbidden-lapto.html)

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**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-internet-access-on-the-iss/673669/23 "2013-11-13T21:10:54Z")

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Yeah NASA has put a lot of money and effort into making laptops practical on the ISS

The Russians used a pencil

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**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-internet-access-on-the-iss/673669/24 "2013-11-13T23:11:51Z")

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> [@PSXer](#):
>
> Yeah NASA has put a lot of money and effort into making laptops practical on the ISS
> 
> The Russians used a pencil

I know that was a joke, but just in case… the [USA used pencils as well](http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp).

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