Flying to the Moon: A View from the Apollo Guidance Computer

Join us in the Planetarium for a free talk with Frank O’Brien, a spaceflight historian and JPL Solar System Ambassador. A flight to the moon seems impossibly complex, especially given the technological state of the art in the 1960’s. While the details are indeed formidable, the concepts are surprisingly easy to understand. Three key components were used in the Apollo spacecraft to voyage from the Earth to the Moon and back home again: the computer, the guidance platform and the sextant. Mr. O’Brien will walk us through how the astronauts used these systems, each of which builds on another to solve the problem of navigating to our nearest celestial neighbor. As a special bonus, Frank will describe how to land on the Moon! Reserve your seat with this link: https://forms.office.com/g/0vJ0yXMrBC