SPC04A - The Apollo-Saturn Computers - The First Chips on the Moon

Apollo Guidance Computer

The Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) was a cutting-edge invention created by the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory for NASA's Apollo missions. Each Apollo spacecraft had an AGC in both the Command Module (CM) and the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM). These computers were crucial for navigation, guidance, and control during the Moon missions. The AGC was the first computer to use silicon integrated circuits (ICs), with about 5,200 of them in each unit. The ICs used were Fairchild 9915 Dual 3-Input NOR gates, some of the earliest ICs ever made. In my artwork, I've included a Fairchild 9915 to highlight this groundbreaking technology that helped take humanity to the Moon.

Apollo Launch Computers

The RCA 110A Saturn Ground Computer System supported the integrated checkout and launch control of the Saturn-Apollo manned lunar mission. Originally conceived and designed for industrial process control, the system underwent a series of major design changes to meet early NASA requirements. These changes resulted in larger memory storage, new discrete input/output capabilities, additional data channels, and an expanded complement of peripheral equipment. During checkout and countdown, the RCA 110A interfaced with the computers onboard the Apollo spacecraft. The board below came from one of the thirty 110A systems delivered to NASA in support of the Apollo program. As is common in the aerospace industry, the board has a conformal coating to increase reliability. The triangular NASA quality inspection stamp can be seen on the board.

About the Bird Watchers Patch

The Apollo 11 “Bird Watchers” mission patch above the 110A is an official patch made for NASA. The three-inch patch was made by the Lion Brothers, who created several patches for NASA. These rare Bird Watchers patches were available to NASA and contractor personnel at the Kennedy Space Center.