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The US spent ~~billions~~ millions of dollars creating a pen that could write in space. The Russians used a pencil and paper ... until they tired of antiquated writing implements and joined the world in buying billions of dollars worth of pens produced by American companies that licensed the technology developed by NASA. And everyone lived happily ever after.

FYP.

Also, they use those old-ass chips because the cost to retrofit the shuttles outweighs the cost of replacing existing parts. When you're talking about a machine that can explode if there is a half centimeter gash on the surface in the wrong place, you don't want to mess with anything that already works. Cost benefit analysis goes a little deeper than wanting the latest greatest chips.

Also, I am aware that private American companies will be shuttling astronauts within 2 years. When government outsources work to people who have to make every penny count, it pays less and gets better quality. Simple economics ensures that. These private companies don't have guaranteed jobs if they screw up. Government employees, however, don't go away until they're pensioned or dead. Not much incentive for quality control, since gung-ho patriotism is out of vogue. Gimme free enterprise any day.