Digital Apollo: Human and Machine in Spaceflight
by: David A. Mindell
List Price: $29.95
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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
Sales Rank: 38307
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.
Average Rating: 
Rating:
- A fascinating story of man and machine and the best they can do togetherJust to be clear, I have a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT, obtained in the year 1968, ... Read More
Rating:
- "Soul of a new machine" for ApolloThankfully the publisher used silky cream paper to print this book. Both your hands and your brain are ... Read More
Rating:
- Digital Apollo: Human and Machine in SpaceflightThis book has a lot more technical information than I expected. It explains techincal details. The price ... Read More
Rating:
- Computers in SpaceWhile this book dwells more on computers than astronauts, it contains details from the actual moon landings ... Read More
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