Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

The Machine That Made the Moon Missions Possible

posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday July 17 2019, @04:01PM   Printer-friendly
from the the-right-stuff dept.

upstart writes:

Submitted via IRC for AnonymousLuser

The machine that made the Moon missions possible

We've all been there: you're working on something important, your PC crashes, and you lose all your progress.

Such a failure was not an option during the Apollo missions, the first time ever that a computer was entrusted with handling flight control and life support systems—and therefore the lives of the astronauts on board.

Despite an infamous false alarm during lunar descent that sent Commander Neil Armstrong's heart rate racing, it was a resounding success that laid the groundwork for everything from modern avionics to multitasking operating systems.

Here are some of the ways the Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC), millions of times less powerful than a 2019 smartphone, shaped the world we live in today:

  • Microchip revolution
  • Multitasking
  • Real-time input
  • Passing the test

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
The Machine That Made the Moon Missions Possible | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 20 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 3, Touché) by nitehawk214 on Wednesday July 17 2019, @06:35PM (6 children)

    by nitehawk214 (1304) on Wednesday July 17 2019, @06:35PM (#868139)

    Every time a fluff article says your smartphone is more powerful than the Apollo Guidance Computer, I am going to punch a baby.

    --
    "Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +2  
       Insightful=1, Touché=1, Total=2
    Extra 'Touché' Modifier   0  
    Total Score:   3  

  • (Score: 3, Touché) by takyon on Wednesday July 17 2019, @08:50PM (2 children)

    by takyon (881) <takyonNO@SPAMsoylentnews.org> on Wednesday July 17 2019, @08:50PM (#868211) Journal

    Ok, but then you'll be in prison for baby punching, and they'll just switch to "your smartwatch is more powerful than the Apollo Guidance Computer" and "your IoT-enabled electronic bidet is more powerful than the Apollo Guidance Computer".

    --
    [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]

    • (Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Wednesday July 17 2019, @10:19PM (1 child)

      by Osamabobama (5842) on Wednesday July 17 2019, @10:19PM (#868241)

      I'm interested in what might be more powerful than the Apollo Guidance Computer that would be available in prison.

      --
      Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.

  • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday July 18 2019, @02:05AM

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday July 18 2019, @02:05AM (#868320) Journal
    I'm less concerned about criminal charges and more concerned about how our health care systems will hold up under this level of repetitive baby-punching syndrome. It could bankrupt the country!

  • (Score: 2) by VLM on Thursday July 18 2019, @01:38PM (1 child)

    by VLM (445) on Thursday July 18 2019, @01:38PM (#868496)

    I'm a little more of a pacifist and like to ask questions like "If your iDoodle has a bazillion times the power of the AGC, when why are you here doing nothing instead of visiting planets like star trek? Its your problem to explain why its so much more powerful yet visually seems pretty feeble"

    • (Score: 2, Funny) by nitehawk214 on Friday July 19 2019, @12:39AM

      by nitehawk214 (1304) on Friday July 19 2019, @12:39AM (#868758)

      Or, at the very least, ask why are you not out punching babies?

      --
      "Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh