Journey to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Guidance Computerevolution of the Apollo Guidance Computer, Mr. Hall contends that the development of the Apollo computer supported and motivated the semiconductor industry during a time when integrated circuits were just emerging. This was the period just before the electronics revolution that gave birth to modern computers. In addition, the book recalls the history of computer technology, both hardware and software, and the applications of digital computing to missile guidance systems and manned spacecraft. The book also offers graphics and photos drawn from the Draper Laboratories archives that illustrate the technology and related events during the Apollo project. Written for experts as well as lay persons, Journey to the Moon is the first book of its kind and a must for anyone interested in the history of science and the relevance of computer technology to space exploration. |
Contents
Computer Hardware | 11 |
Memory Components | 20 |
Computers | 31 |
MIT Instrumentation Laboratory | 37 |
Hardware | 43 |
Requirements | 51 |
Industrial Contractors | 57 |
In The BeginningApollo Computer | 71 |
Mission Success | 92 |
Production | 100 |
System Integration | 103 |
NextGenerationBlock II | 117 |
Naysayers Revisited | 133 |
Assembly | 146 |
Mission Software | 161 |
Finale | 179 |
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Common terms and phrases
acceptance allowed Apollo guidance application approach Archives Photograph Number assembly astronauts became bits Block changes characteristics Charles Stark Draper chip command module complete components computer's core cost counter Courtesy Charles Stark digital computer display Draper Laboratory Archives DSKY early Earth electrical electronic engine equipment erasable memory errors failure Figure files flight functions gates Graphic Number guidance computer guidance system hardware History improvements included increased industry inertial INPUT instructions Instrumentation Laboratory integrated circuits integrated-circuit interconnections interfaces Laboratory Archives Photograph landing LOGIC MODULE lunar module machine measurement memory missile mission moon NASA navigation necessary operations orbit output packaging plans Plate problem production proposal pulses Raytheon registers reliability Report result rope schedule semiconductor SIGNALS similar simulator space spacecraft Stark Draper Laboratory switch task tion transistor tray wiring
Bibliographic information
| Title | Journey to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Guidance Computer Library of Flight |
| Author | Eldon C. Hall |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | AIAA, 1996 |
| ISBN | 156347185X, 9781563471858 |
| Length | 196 pages |
| Subjects | › Computers / History Technology & Engineering / Aeronautics & Astronautics Technology & Engineering / History |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |