ISS goes to Linux

Keith Chuvala, an employee of the United Space Alliance and the head of the unit responsible for laptops and networks on the ISS, recently explained why NASA decided to transfer all computers to the ISS on Linux :

We moved key functions from Windows to Linux, because we needed a stable and reliable operating system, one that would allow us to gain complete control. And if we needed to fix something, adjust or adapt - we could do it.

Debian 6 was chosen as the main distribution kit. Linux has already been used in some onboard systems of the ISS since its inception ( eng pdf ), but until recently, the priority OS for personal computers was still Windows.

In addition, it is reported that Linux will be used in the futuristic robot astronaut Robonaut , designed to help astronauts, performing heavy and dangerous work both at the station itself and in open space.
Especially for the ISS team, the Linux Foundation Training under the leadership of Dominic Duval has created several Linux development training - Introduction to Linux for Developers and Developing Applications For Linux . According to Chuval, the prepared materials were liked by the team:

At first, I was worried that some of our techies would be bored. But that did not happen. On the contrary, people were very interested.

Duval also notes the flexibility of the program:

NASA is as heterogeneous as possible. They have both heavy Debian distros and various versions of RHEL and Centos. Since our training is flexible in terms of the distributions under consideration, we were able to pack all these different environments into a single training session. No other training organizations can provide this.

So, it seems, the linuksoid has an impenetrable argument for holivars - “but Linux is used on the ISS!”.