NASA Standardizes Laptop Chargers on the ISS: Less Weight, Higher Reliability

NASA engineers upgraded laptops designed for use on the International Space Station (ISS) by replacing outdated modem ports, which were useless in space, with universal "cannon plug" power connectors. This allowed them to eliminate multiple different chargers and connect all laptops to the station’s unified power system.

The decision to standardize was made during the ISS construction phase in the late 1990s. At the time, modems were a standard computer component, but they were unnecessary in space. Replacing the ports reduced equipment weight and lowered the number of potential failure points—a critical factor for operations in extreme conditions. Lockheed Martin, which won the contract, adapted the devices, including ThinkPad models.

Communication on the ISS was not handled via Ethernet but through the specialized MIL-STD-1553 system. In April 2026, over 100 new HP Z workstations with Core Ultra 9 processors and RTX Pro Blackwell graphics were delivered to the station. These devices underwent two years of testing and are equipped with universal power adapters that work both on Earth and in space.

Engineer George Rausch, who shared project details, also highlighted the challenge of preserving technical history. Many online resources about the ISS laptop upgrades are no longer available, underscoring the vulnerability of digital archives. Preserving such data relies on projects like the Wayback Machine, but rising storage costs due to hardware shortages threaten the archiving of internet history.