The World's Most Complex Machine

Re:The World's Most Complex Machine by robotresearcher on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @11:10AM (#47935718)

2.5 million moving parts sounds unlikely. Parts, sure. Moving parts, I’m skeptical.

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Re:The World's Most Complex Machine by kens on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @11:41AM (#47936060)

That claim is from NASA: https://www3.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/pdf/566250main_SHUTTLE...

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Re:The World's Most Complex Machine by robotresearcher on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @12:08PM (#47936378)

I see that. And I see it repeated all over. Still skeptical.

Googling for total part count also comes up with the 2.5M number. They move WRT Earth, but the vast majority do not move with respect to each other, is my guess.

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Re:The World's Most Complex Machine by nqzero on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @05:01PM (#47940710)

everything can be a moving part if you use enough hydrogen and oxygen

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Re:The World's Most Complex Machine by pwndByDeath on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @11:12AM (#47935757)

In a vehicle, all the parts are moving

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Re:The World's Most Complex Machine by robotresearcher on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @11:17AM (#47935811)

I’m gonna go with the conventional frame of reference: parts moving with respect to each other.

Otherwise we might as well say the ASML machine is in orbit around the galactic center.

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Re:The World's Most Complex Machine by GuB-42 on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @02:11PM (#47938228)

There are situations where vehicles have a lot of parts moving with respect to each other, especially rockets.

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Re:The World's Most Complex Machine by alnwlsn on Wednesday April 29, 2026 @11:49AM (#47950090)

I guess that depends on what is considered moving. A latch is, but is a vibration dampener? On launch, I bet a lot of parts are moving that you probably would not otherwise want to be.

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