{"id":2954,"date":"2019-06-11T07:00:37","date_gmt":"2019-06-11T11:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=2954"},"modified":"2019-06-10T16:00:36","modified_gmt":"2019-06-10T20:00:36","slug":"the-unique-computer-that-flew-apollo-to-the-moon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/06\/11\/the-unique-computer-that-flew-apollo-to-the-moon\/","title":{"rendered":"The unique computer that flew Apollo to the Moon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>&#8220;It was&#8230; the first digital flight computer, the most advanced miniature computer to date, the first computer to use silicon chips, and the first onboard computer where the lives of crew depended on it functioning as advertised.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/newatlas.com\/apollo-11-guidance-computer\/59766\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Full text, more pix. (opens in a new tab)\">Full text, more pix.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"478\" data-attachment-id=\"2955\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/06\/11\/the-unique-computer-that-flew-apollo-to-the-moon\/apollo-computer-26\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/apollo-computer-26.jpg?fit=900%2C478&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"900,478\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"apollo-computer-26\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/apollo-computer-26.jpg?fit=900%2C478&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/apollo-computer-26.jpg?resize=900%2C478&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2955\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/apollo-computer-26.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/apollo-computer-26.jpg?resize=300%2C159&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/apollo-computer-26.jpg?resize=768%2C408&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:right\" class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em><strong>Permalink: <\/strong><\/em><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=2954\">https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=2954<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"104\" height=\"6\" data-attachment-id=\"1999\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/02\/10\/around-boston-the-nearly-snowless-winter-continues\/seperator-short-grey\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/SEPERATOR-short-grey.png?fit=104%2C6&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"104,6\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"SEPERATOR short grey\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/SEPERATOR-short-grey.png?fit=104%2C6&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/SEPERATOR-short-grey.png?resize=104%2C6\" alt=\"[seperator]\" class=\"wp-image-1999\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:left\"><strong>COMMENT \/ QUESTION<\/strong>  on <strong>THIS ITEM?<\/strong> <em>See the<\/em> <strong>Comment box<\/strong> <em>at bottom of this page!<\/em><br><b><em><br><\/em>NEW QUESTION? <\/b><em>Ask<\/em><b> <u><font color=\"#000117\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a><\/font><\/u><\/b>!<br><br>(<em>Want free notification of new content? 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Permalink: https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=2954<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[30,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hardware","category-science-and-tech"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paaiox-LE","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3865,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/06\/how-much-did-your-first-laptop-portable-computer-weigh\/","url_meta":{"origin":2954,"position":0},"title":"&#8220;How much did your first laptop\/portable computer weigh?&#8221;","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-12-06","format":false,"excerpt":"(Answer requested by Ian Alter) Probably less than you think. My first notebook was a TRS-100 Model 100, weighing in at about 1.4 kilograms (3.1\u00a0lb), including its power supply --- four ordinary, buy-anywhere, AA cells.) I carried my Model 100 literally around the world, back in the day. :) This\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A reader asks...&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Radio_Shack_TRS-80_Model_100.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Radio_Shack_TRS-80_Model_100.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Radio_Shack_TRS-80_Model_100.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Radio_Shack_TRS-80_Model_100.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Radio_Shack_TRS-80_Model_100.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Radio_Shack_TRS-80_Model_100.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1637,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/01\/11\/a-reader-asks-do-you-remember-type-in-programs-from-computer-magazines-in-the-70s-and-80s\/","url_meta":{"origin":2954,"position":1},"title":"A reader asks: &#8220;Do you remember type-in programs from computer magazines in the 70s and 80s?&#8221;","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-01-11","format":false,"excerpt":"Remember them? I wrote some! :) In fact, I believe I wrote the first type-and-run program to appear in a non-computer, general-circulation magazine, at least in the US. Back at the dawn of the PC era, I was a newly-hatched junior editor at New Shelter magazine; a general-circulation publication with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A reader asks...&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1578,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/01\/04\/a-reader-asks-have-you-heard-of-the-tutac-computer\/","url_meta":{"origin":2954,"position":2},"title":"A reader asks: &#8220;Have you heard of the TUTAC computer?&#8221;","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-01-04","format":false,"excerpt":"I hadn't, but I'm glad you asked (thanks!). This was fun to research, not only because it involves an interesting artifact from the early days of computers, but also because it shares a concept with Bandersnatch, the Netflix choose-your-own-ending movie! TUTAC stands for \"TUTorial Automatic Computer,\" a device that existed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A reader asks...&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1195,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/12\/01\/a-reader-asks-why-havent-chicago-new-york-and-boston-produced-tech-hubs-like-silicon-valley\/","url_meta":{"origin":2954,"position":3},"title":"A reader asks: Why haven&#8217;t Chicago, New York, and Boston produced tech hubs like Silicon Valley?","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2018-12-01","format":false,"excerpt":"Q. Why haven't Chicago, New York, and Boston produced tech hubs like Silicon Valley? (via Quora) A: Ha! Boston has been and still is a major tech hub. In fact, Boston was the US's first, and thus is also its oldest high-tech hub, starting all the way back with the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A reader asks...&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2640,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/04\/19\/if-you-could-only-do-one-computer-upgrade-when-you-purchase-a-new-computer-would-you-upgrade-ram-processor-or-storage\/","url_meta":{"origin":2954,"position":4},"title":"&#8220;If you could only do one computer upgrade when you purchase a new computer, would you upgrade RAM, processor, or storage?&#8221;","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-04-19","format":false,"excerpt":"(Answer requested by Mandi Bailey) If it's a brand-new PC, odds are it'll have a reasonably current, capable CPU; and an at least acceptable hard drive. But most PC baseline models have only a modest --- sometimes minimal --- amount of RAM. So, if I'm allowed only one upgrade, I'd\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A reader asks...&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/xidax.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2684,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/05\/03\/how-do-i-write-a-harmless-computer-virus\/","url_meta":{"origin":2954,"position":5},"title":"&#8220;How do I write a harmless computer virus&#8230;&#8221;","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-05-03","format":false,"excerpt":"The full question, submitted anonymously, was: \"How do I write a harmless computer virus that, when run, restarts the computer and keeps opening a terminal instead of windows until the user say yes or some specific command then everything goes normal again?\" That\u2019s not a virus --- it's just a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;A reader asks...&quot;","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2954"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2954\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2957,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2954\/revisions\/2957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}