Astronauts on the ISS are getting a laptop upgrade from HP
The ISS crew is preparing for a computer refresh, and the new HP laptops headed into service sound a lot more capable than the aging machines they are replacing.
Tfoso
The International Space Station is getting a big HP laptop refresh
ESA
Few things are more frustrating than a slow, laggy laptop, and I cannot imagine having to put up with one while living and working aboard a space station. And since even astronauts aren’t immune to the slow grind of aging work laptops, NASA is planning a big upgrade.
The Expedition 74 crew recently reviewed a station-wide computer upgrade planned for the weekend, starting with the replacement of network servers and followed by activation of “new, more powerful laptop computers” aboard the International Space Station.
Which HP laptop is going to space?
NASAThe short update from NASA didn’t reveal the name of the hardware, but a NASA spokesperson later confirmed to The Verge that the station’s next laptop platform is the HP ZBook G9 Mobile Workstation. This model will be replacing the older HP ZBook Fury G2 laptops already in use on the ISS, with the first batch of the newer systems having launched back in October 2025.
The upgrade is more than just a routine equipment swap. While the ISS still runs on practical, mission-tested hardware, modern orbital life also involves science workloads, imaging, communications, logistics, and system monitoring— all of which will benefit from more capable machines.
How powerful are these laptops?
The International Space Station NASAHP’s new laptops are powerful workstation-grade systems. The custom ISS configuration features an Intel Core Ultra 9 vPro HX processor, an Nvidia RTX Pro Blackwell GPU, 128GB of DDR5 memory, and four 2TB NVMe SSDs. While these are specs you won’t commonly find on a consumer-grade laptop, HP states that these new machines also need a specially designed NASA-exclusive AC/DC power adapter, since the ISS primarily runs on DC power and standard Earthbound AC chargers would not work in orbit.
More than 100 HP workstations are already in active use on the ISS, along with microgravity-compatible printers, and the G9 machines represent the third generation of HP compute platforms onboard. With the station set to be decommissioned in 2030, this might be one of, if not the last, big PC refresh before the planned deorbit.
Vikhyaat Vivek is a tech journalist and reviewer with seven years of experience covering consumer hardware, with a focus on…
Meta’s latest surveillance plans are so dystopian that I am out of words
Meta wants to watch employees' every click, keystroke, and mouse move, and their job might just depend on it.
I have been covering tech for years now, and I have seen companies do some questionable things in the name of innovation. But Meta's latest move might just take the cake.
According to a Reuters report, Meta is installing tracking software on its employees' work computers. The tool, called Model Capability Initiative (MCI), will log mouse movements, clicks, and keystrokes. It will also take occasional screenshots of employees' screens.
Workspace Intelligence turns Gemini into an all-knowing do-it-all AI agent for your work
A few weeks ago, Google announced a new feature called Personal Intelligence. Broadly, the idea is to let Gemini access the content saved in your Gmail inbox and Photos library. The next time you ask the AI about travel plans, projects, or anything relevant, it will seamlessly reference your stored information to offer helpful responses, without asking you for any context.
It just knows you.
Gemini can now create documents, slides, meetings and more in chat
Google brings Gemini into chat to turn conversations into workflows
Google is expanding the role of its Gemini AI assistant by integrating it directly into Google Chat, allowing users to create documents, slides, and manage tasks without leaving conversations. The update introduces a new feature called “Ask Gemini in Chat,” positioning Chat as a central hub not just for communication, but for getting work done.
With this integration, users can type a request in natural language, and Gemini will handle the task in the background. This includes generating Google Docs, building presentations, scheduling meetings, and retrieving files based on simple descriptions. The goal is to reduce the need to switch between apps within the Workspace ecosystem.
