Thanks for this article. I’ve heard of Margaret Hamilton and knew a little about her work. I’m not a programer and so could not evaluate her technique and insights into programming. But I did know that the Apollo computers were works of genius. It was clear to me that the limitation of 1960s computer hardware required meticulous and insightful programming. (I’m a web developer—since 1994—but not a programmer.)

I know about Margaret because I’m also a space buff. I’d never had the pleasure of meeting her, although I’ve met other important people in the history of spaceflight.

I think one reason why Apollo succeeded, despite some foolish and opinionated people in positions of management—is that there was, among the rank and file, an appreciation of what they were doing, a genuine curiosity and determination to succeed, an appropriate level of humility considering the challenges, and a huge desire to NOT F-CK UP and kill anybody.

I knew a man who worked in launch sequencing in the early years of the space program. He was capable and determined to do his job well, and he knew astronauts personally and felt huge responsibility. He was working on January 27, 1967 at the Cape—preparing for the first Apollo launch. He went home after his shift, but got a call in the evening to return to the Cape for an emergency meeting.

The launch worker was crushed. Even though the fatal Apollo fire wasn’t his fault, he was never the same. He had known the astronauts and considered it to be HIS responsibility that they get into orbit successfully.

He quit NASA and went to work for a company that made jukeboxes. He told me, with a feeling of dark humor, that when a jukebox malfunctions, nobody dies.

Margaret Hamilton is a kind of genius. This launch worker was simply a good man. But he had the humility that others higher in the food chain lacked. And he had curiosity, not his career, as a motivation. He wanted to put astronauts on the moon.

Now spaceflight is hard. But when it’s flight for profit, rather than to do great things, mistakes are made. Life and science and solving mysteries become secondary. I think shareholders and politicians and ambitious men doom more missions and kill more astronauts than scientists and engineers. The scientists and engineers know what they are doing, take responsibility, understand the enormity of some of the challenges, and want to solve problems. They aren’t out for a quick buck.