18 posted 3 years ago by pkvi 3 years ago by pkvi +19 / -1 29 comments share 29 comments share save hide report block hide replies
They had slide-rulers and rooms full of women.
People had more in-brain knowledge back then.
Without allowing digital devices they would beat the shit out of you mathematically.
The part that gets me is the control systems to go from lunar orbit to landing,
and get it right the first time.
During the Vietnam conflict they had pretty good inertial guidance systems.
I had a uncle that flew a fighter. He said you could do a dogfight and it would stay pretty accurate.
I personally saw the Apollo 17 night launch from 5 miles away. A Saturn V launch is jaw dropping.
The control system for the lunar landing is what I have a hard time believing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndvmFlg1WmE
Looks like the computer had 36 banks of 1kilowords ea. fixed memory and 2kilowords rewritable memory. All in assembly.
The tightest code I have ever seen is a chess playing game in 4k.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y37tXoBDx0