Apollo Guidance Computer Activities

AGC - Introduction to the Apollo Guidance Computer

An Introduction to the Apollo Guidance Computer and the AGC project

This section contains links to a variety of interpretive material about the Apollo Guidance Computer.  Where possible this material has been enhanced with links to documents or images also contained on this site.

  1. A Brief Historical Introduction to the Apollo Guidance Computer. Written by Professor David Mindell and Shane Hamilton, this piece outlines the story of the Apollo Guidance Computer and briefly discusses some of the key historical issues this project is devoted to studying.

  2. A Visual Introduction.  This is a visual essay over three linked pages which tell the story of the Apollo Guidance Computer in images.  This was constructed by Shane Hamilton.

  3. Annotations to Eldon Hall's Journey to the Moon.  Hugh Blair-Smith, a key member of the software design and implementation team who worked on the AGC has written a series of annotations to Eldon Hall's history of the AGC.

  4. The Integrated Circuit decision.  A short discussion of the decision to use ICs to build the AGC.  This essay includes scans of the original slides used to persuade NASA of the wisdom of using ICs and of the early purchase orders for ICs.  Written by Eldon Hall and Alexander Brown

  5. Computing in the Soviet Space Program. Written by Dr. Slava Gerovitch, this section documents the development of Soviet onboard computers with a particular focus on the Argon series for the Soviet lunar program.

  6. Read the AGC progress reports for the Apollo missions.  These memos summarise the performance of the GN&C system in each flight and were written for distribution to all MIT/IL employees.  Written by Alexander Brown.


This section contains links to materials concerning the scope, objectives, and progress of the AGC history project.

  1. Toward an Interactive History of Science and Technology: Reflections on the Dibner/Sloan Web Project. A discussion of the process of doing web based history, drawing on the AGC project experience.
  2. Historical Topics and Questions.  This page outlines the key historical questions that this project was established to investigate.  These questions form the basis for the discussion forums that are an integral part of this site.
  3. AGC Status Report.  This document outlines the current status of the AGC project and outline future goals.  It is updated several times annually.


site last updated 05-09-2002 by Alexander Brown