A 2001: a Space Odyssey AE-35 research page

[3Dsf]

So, as a followup to my HAL 9000 research project, I've done a writeup on the AE-35 unit - what it was, how it was made, and so on.

Big credit to Abitofcredit, who first posted information on the Sperry aviation device, and macropod80 for finding a supplier and his research on the alterations made by the prop designers, and joberg for his earlier work making a replica from scratch.

https://sites.google.com/site/theageofplastic3d/ae-35

 

[David3]

Excellent work, Neil. Awesome to have all this research collated in such detail in the one document. Well done to Abitofcredit and macropod80 too. Brilliant!
Not only great to finally discover what the real prop was but that AE probably stood for: Azimuth - Elevation. Interesting too to read about real space IMUs.

Always interesting to compare the technology used in 2001 to real space hardware and personal devices, like the ipad or tablets for instance. That's the beauty of 2001, Kubrick got things so right with his aerospace advisers, Lange & Ordway, that its become more than just a movie but more like getting a glimpse into an alternative universe. What could have been.

 

[joberg]

Excellent work, Neil. Awesome to have all this research collated in such detail in the one document. Well done to Abitofcredit and macropod80 too. Brilliant!
Not only great to finally discover what the real prop was but that AE probably stood for: Azimuth - Elevation. Interesting too to read about real space IMUs.

Always interesting to compare the technology used in 2001 to real space hardware and personal devices, like the ipad or tablets for instance. That's the beauty of 2001, Kubrick got things so right with his aerospace advisers, Lange & Ordway, that its become more than just a movie but more like getting a glimpse into an alternative universe. What could have been.

Yes indeed; lots of special advisers/ engineers/ aerospace corps who gave Kubrick and others their visions on what the tech could`ve been in the future

 

[j_holtslander]

Me, everytime nkg drops his knowledge bombs:

 

[joberg]

Me, everytime nkg drops his knowledge bombs:
View attachment 1480325

Welcome to the Fan Club mate

 

[3Dsf]

Me, everytime nkg drops his knowledge bombs:

Very kind; thank you. Not just me, though. I'm building on all the info that loads of other people have discovered. I'm just collating a lot of stuff. I also believe in making it available to everyone so we all learn more, rather than hoarding the knowledge.

 

[Markus]

Very kind; thank you. Not just me, though. I'm building on all the info that loads of other people have discovered. I'm just collating a lot of stuff. I also believe in making it available to everyone so we all learn more, rather than hoarding the knowledge.

Yes, a big "Thank you" from me too. You can't imagine how often I browsed some these threads to look up certain pieces of information. And now, I simply go to your HAL page where everything is available.

 

[3Dsf]

Amazing Franco-American space-program-technology expert Curious Marc has a fascinating video on an American Sperry gyro compass that's quite similar to the one some of us have bought to make an AE-35 unit.

It gives you an idea of the mechanical complexity of the device. And why I won't be able to spin up my gyro, since I haven't got a three-phase power supply.

 

[Lt Washburn]

Yeah, I saw that a few weeks ago and noticed the similarity. Really neat things.

 

[joberg]

Great video and yes, looks really close to the one in 2001