Digital Apollo, Human and Machine in Spaceflight

GuardianAsher · Post by **GuardianAsher** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 6:42 pm

Alright, this book is going back up for the shippings. If anyone wants it, let me know and I'll be happy to send it off

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sun Jul 06, 2014 3:34 pm

I just re-read this book in Kindle form. For any of you who never got a chance to read the physical book we passed around, I can highly recommend it. It really gives you an appreciation for how radical and important the concept of using a digital computer was on Apollo. I doubt we could have made it to the moon using the original Gemini-type analog feedback loops.

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Apollo-Hu ... tal+apollo

The Apollo Block II computer and DSKY display/keyboard

Rope memory used as ROM on the Apollo computer:

Professional seamstresses were used to weave the rope memory - each one custom weaved with custom programs for each mission. The ROM software had to be finalized 4 months before launch to allow enough time for manufacture, testing & installation. Originally they were all made by hand but later on the manufacture was semi-automated: the program was coded onto paper tape and the machine the woman is working at would read the tape and line up a threading hole for each successive wire in the proper location that the woman would push through with a needle. The paper tape reader is on the right next to the machine:

GuardianAsher · Post by **GuardianAsher** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:49 pm

The book is still available for anyone who wants it! Just send me a PM and I'll ship it your way!