Digital Apollo: Human and Machine in Spaceflight

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by: David A. Mindell

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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 629.474
EAN: 9780262134972
ISBN: 0262134977
Label: MIT Press
Manufacturer: MIT Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 456
Publication Date: May 31, 2008
Publisher: MIT Press
Studio: MIT Press

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
As Apollo 11's Lunar Module descended toward the moon under automatic control, a program alarm in the guidance computer’s software nearly caused a mission abort. Neil Armstrong responded by switching off the automatic mode and taking direct control. He stopped monitoring the computer and began flying the spacecraft, relying on skill to land it and earning praise for a triumph of human over machine.

In Digital Apollo, engineer-historian David Mindell takes this famous moment as a starting point for an exploration of the relationship between humans and computers in the Apollo program. In each of the six Apollo landings, the astronaut in command seized control from the computer and landed with his hand on the stick. Mindell recounts the story of astronauts' desire to control their spacecraft in parallel with the history of the Apollo Guidance Computer. From the early days of aviation through the birth of spaceflight, test pilots and astronauts sought to be more than "spam in a can" despite the automatic controls, digital computers, and software developed by engineers. Digital Apollo examines the design and execution of each of the six Apollo moon landings, drawing on transcripts and data telemetry from the flights, astronaut interviews, and NASA's extensive archives.

Mindell's exploration of how human pilots and automated systems worked together to achieve the ultimate in flight—a lunar landing—traces and reframes the debate over the future of humans and automation in space. The results have implications for any venture in which human roles seem threatened by automated systems, whether it is the work at our desktops or the future of exploration.




Rating: - A fascinating story of man and machine and the best they can do together
Just to be clear, I have a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT, obtained in the year 1968, when astronauts first reached the moon. I have made a career in aerospace ever since. With this background I found the book to be fascinating and read it from cover to cover in about 2 days. physically the book is of extremely high quality and very well produced. A pleasure to hold. The book is very well written, and the technical discussions are comprehensive, accurate and enlightening. Despite ... Read More

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Rating: - "Soul of a new machine" for Apollo
Thankfully the publisher used silky cream paper to print this book. Both your hands and your brain are pampered. Clear line illustration inside with a fantastic cover graphic, this book rewards the touch of your hand by taking you on a magic carpet ride through the inner workings of developing the guidance and navigation systems for the moon shot. It is the "Soul of the New Machine" for the Apollo program.

It's a fascinating account of how the guidance computer and the human ... Read More

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Rating: - Digital Apollo: Human and Machine in Spaceflight
This book has a lot more technical information than I expected. It explains techincal details. The price is reasonable.

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Rating: - Computers in Space
While this book dwells more on computers than astronauts, it contains details from the actual moon landings that I've never seen published elsewhere. Despite contrary opinions by the astonauts, this book has convinced me that a 100% all-human landing (without computers) was not technically possible. If you liked "Journey to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Guidance Computer" then you'll like this.

p.s. This book describes the operation of a zero-weight low-tech technology known as the ... Read More

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