Digital Apollo

Human and Machine in Spaceflight

David A. Mindell (Director, MIT)

$75

Paperback

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English

Massachusetts Inst of Tec
30 September 2011

Mathematics & Sciences; Intelligent & automated transport system technology; Space science

Series: Digital Apollo

The incredible story of how human pilots and automated systems worked together to achieve the ultimate achievement in flight-the lunar landings of NASA's Apollo program

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.

By: David A. Mindell (Director MIT)
Imprint: Massachusetts Inst of Tec
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 178mm, Spine: 22mm
Weight: 748g
ISBN: 9780262516105
ISBN 10: 0262516101
Series: Digital Apollo
Pages: 384
Publication Date: 30 September 2011
Recommended Age: From 18 years
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Ron Emoff is Assistant Professor of music and anthropology at Ohio State University-Newark. He has performed research in Madagascar, the French Antilles, and SouthwestLouisiana. His recent publications include Recollecting from the Past: MusicalPractice and Spirit Possession on the East Coast of Madagascar (Wesleyan UniversityPress, Music and Culture Series, 2002) and Mementos, Artifacts, and Hallucinationsfrom the Ethnographer's Tent (Routledge, 2002). He also performs onseveral musical instruments.

Reviews for Digital Apollo: Human and Machine in Spaceflight

[A] wealth of research that even the most informed space fans can enjoy. Mindell avoids the temptation to glorify the space program, instead dealing with the nitty gritty logistics involved in getting a man to the moon. Digital Apollo succeeds in providing an inside track to one of the most difficult technological challenges of the 20th century. -- James Thorne * coolhunting.com * Mindell joyfully plumbs the deep history of Apollo's decade-long clash between the MIT eggheads who built the computers and the thrill-jockey military test pilots who used them. * IEEE Spectrum * The book is a refreshing reminder that it is still possible to uncover new stories about the early years of the American space program. -- Dwayne A. Day * Air & Space *

Winner of <PrizeName>Winner, 2008 Eugene M. Emme Astronautical Literature Award, given by the American Astronautical Society</PrizeName> 2008
Winner of <PrizeName>Winner, 2013 AIAA Gardner-Lasser Aerospace History Literature Award, given by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics</PrizeName> 2008
Winner of American Astronautical Society Eugene M. Emme Astronautical Literature Award 2008.
Winner of Winner, 2008 Eugene M. Emme Astronautical Literature Award, given by the American Astronautical Society 2008
Winner of Winner, 2008 Eugene M. Emme Astronautical Literature Award, given by the American Astronautical Society</PrizeName> 2008
Winner of Winner, 2013 AIAA Gardner-Lasser Aerospace History Literature Award, given by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics</PrizeName> 2008