TÜV NORD GROUP investigates unprecedented storage medium
ALTER | HTV conducts pioneering research into the long-term durability of digital storage media in the Labest Digital research project
ALTER | HTV conducts pioneering research into the long-term durability of digital storage media in the Labest Digital research project
TÜV NORD GROUP is playing a key role in the development of a data storage device that aims to safely preserve humanity's cultural and linguistic heritage on the moon for future generations. This non-profit initiative is being carried out by the US innovation platform Barrelhand Inc. in cooperation with UNESCO. TÜV NORD subsidiary ALTER | HTV is helping to check whether the data on the new storage medium is readable before the moon missions.
The unprecedented storage medium is the third version of the "memory disc". The coin-sized component for spacecraft was manufactured using NanoFiche™ technology. According to Barrelhand Inc., this technology enables data to be stored in extremely high resolution, allowing a large amount of information to be accommodated in a very small space. Similar to microfilm, but much finer and more detailed, the apparently ultra-high resolution ensures that even the smallest details are preserved. According to Barrelhand Inc., the "Memory Disc V3" stores information with a resolution of 133,000 DPI (dots per inch), which is so fine that details up to 420 times smaller than a human hair can be captured. The data is difficult to see with the naked eye, but can be visualised using special imaging techniques, comparable to the effect of a microscope.
In addition, according to Barrelhand Inc., the "Memory Disc V3" is made of pure nickel, so that stored information is not damaged by ageing or external influences and remains readable even after millions, if not billions, of years. The developers promise that the disc is resistant to cosmic radiation, extreme temperature fluctuations and the vacuum of space. In contrast to conventional digital media, which can lose quality or become unreadable over time, the "Memory Disc V3" should remain unchanged over time.
ALTER | HTV used optical microscopy and a scanning electron microscope to investigate whether the data on the new storage medium can also be read. Through these investigations, the experts were able to ensure that the nano-engraved analogue data is visible and also delivers high quality compared to the originals. ALTER | HTV specialises in testing electronic components using a variety of analytical methods.
Barrlehand Inc. and UNESCO are storing on the disc a compiled collection of mankind's linguistic, artistic and cultural achievements, including the original French edition of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's "The Little Prince" and 106 works of art spanning 30,000 years of art history. The disc will travel on major international moon missions in the coming years and leave its mark on the moon. The idea behind this initiative is to protect humanity's legacy in space for future generations, utilising emerging technologies and ideas that could open the next chapter of space exploration.
A US cent coin - and next to it the innovative storage medium that will preserve human history in space for millions of years. Copyright:
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