Apollo guidance computer

[SeanB]

http://omegataupodcast.net/2015/03/167-the-apollo-guidance-computer/

If you have 2 hours and a bit to spare you might want to listen to this interview.

This episode is a mix between computer architecture, programming and (historic) space flight. We cover the ins and outs of the Apollo Guidance Computer. Our guest is Frank O’Brien, who wrote an incredibly detailed book about this machine. In the episode we cover the hardware architecture, the instruction set, the various layers (native, executive and interpreter) as well as some mission programs.

Even has links to earlier interviews with another book author about flight to the moon and working on the moon.

[atferrari]

Why not a common written text?

Two hours watching? No, thanks.

[Macbeth]

Why not a common written text?

Two hours watching? No, thanks.

Perhaps you could buy the book as you are clearly interested? ... you could even transcribe the podcast, and disseminate it as a text or pdf if SeanB allows you. Do it for the wider community.

[rdl]

It's an mp3 file, I wouldn't recommend watching it. I downloaded it so I can listen to it later.

If you want to watch something, look for "Moon Machines Navigation Computer" on youtube (higher quality versions are available elsewhere). It's part of a series from the Science Channel in 2008. The whole series is pretty good.

[SeanB]

Not my podcast, but a very good one done by a German guy. He almost always has something interesting, and does them in either German or english.  If you look back there are a few with scientists from CERN, flying Concorde along with others. For Dave's German viewers there is a whole lot of content as well if they care to listen.

Markus does do good audio where possible, he has some of the best audio I find in podcasts and he takes very good care to keep his audio sounding good.

[TerraHertz]

https://media.ccc.de/v/34c3-9064-the_ultimate_apollo_guidance_computer_talk
A 1hr talk about the Apollo Guidance Computer.
(Currently it loads too slowly for me to watch. Hopefully better later.)

I don't think it's been linked in any of the several previous eevblog threads on the AGC.
Incidentally here's a list of the eevblog AGC threads I could find:

Code: [Select]

  [url]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/disassembly-of-a-block-ii-apollo-guidance-computer/[/url]
  [url]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/the-apollo-guidance-computer/[/url]
  [url]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/apollo-agc-and-my-new-favorite-bug/[/url]
  [url]https://youtu.be/xY45YE7ggng[/url]  The Charming Genius of the Apollo Guidance Computer - Brian Troutwine
     More AGC stuff here:
        [url]https://www.youtube.com[/url]   /watch?v=YIBhPsyYCiM&feature=youtu.be
        [url]http://klabs.org/history/ech/agc_schematics/[/url]
        [url]http://klabs.org/history/build_agc/[/url]
        [url]http://www.ibiblio.org/apollo/[/url]
        [url]http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/computers/Part1.html[/url]
  [url]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/apollo-guidance-computer/[/url]
  [url]http://omegataupodcast.net/2015/03/167-the-apollo-guidance-computer/[/url]   2 hour interview

  [url]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/apollo-guidance-computer-%28agc%29-good-info/[/url]
      [url]http://www.ibiblio.org/apollo/hrst/archive/1029.pdf[/url]   good PDF from 1972 on the Apollo Guidance Computer
      [url]http://history.nasa.gov/computers/Part1.html[/url]

  [url]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/apollo-computer-documentary-from-the-60_s-fascinating/[/url]
      [url]https://youtu.be/YIBhPsyYCiM[/url]
      [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer#DSKY_interface[/url]
      [url]https://youtu.be/9YA7X5we8ng[/url]   about the AGC (from "Moon Machines" series)

  [url]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/film-about-making-the-appollo-guidance-computer/[/url]
     [url]https://youtu.be/YIBhPsyYCiM[/url]
     [url]http://authors.library.caltech.edu/5456/1/hrst.mit.edu/hrs/apollo/public/conference1/hall-intro.htm[/url]

  [url]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/12-layer-board-surface-mount-components-it_s-all-so-1960s[/url]!/
     [url]https://youtu.be/J0ggqY7vnAw[/url]  About the logic boards used in the Apollo Saturn V rockets
     A book on the Apollo guidance computer:
     [url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apollo-Guidance-Computer-Architecture-Exploration/dp/1441908765[/url]

There's also a thread by Wilfred, but he seems to have deleted the link he posted:
   https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/apollo-guidance-computer-agc-yet-another-video-series/
Anyone have a note of what it was?  It's not on web.archive.org/web/

[rstofer]

"The Apollo Guidance Computer" by O'Brien

https://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Guidance-Computer-Architecture-Operation/dp/1441908765

I have toyed with the idea of replicating the computer in an FPGA.  It wouldn't necessarily do anything, it's not like I have rocket motors, but it would be interesting.

[TerraHertz]

That book is the last item on my list above, and oddly enough I had just ordered a copy via abebooks.com.
Should receive it sometime around my birthday.

[wilfred]

The link was to a YT channel by Francois Rautenbach.
The video title was "Apollo Guidance Computer - Physical inspection"

Francois  only has 3 AGC related videos on his channel but this little vignette shows what he postulates is a non potted memory module used for software development at MIT. Thus it allows a view of the internals.

When I went back to find the video I was pleased to note Fran had a video recommended.