ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel SmarterEveryDay How did NASA Steer the Saturn V?- Smarter Every Day 223
The Saturn V rocket, a marvel of engineering, was responsible for taking humans to the moon for the first time. Interestingly, it wasn’t the astronauts who steered this massive rocket; instead, it was guided by an onboard computer. Let’s dive into the fascinating technology behind this iconic spacecraft.
Much of the Saturn V was constructed in Huntsville, Alabama, affectionately known as Rocket City. This city is a hub for aerospace and computer engineers who are deeply passionate about space technology. It’s a place where you might find yourself in a parking lot, holding a piece of history—a Saturn V memory module—thanks to the trust and camaraderie among enthusiasts.
On the same day I received this memory module, Linus Sebastian from Linus Tech Tips was visiting. We were setting up a server with over 100 terabytes of storage. It was a perfect opportunity to explore the contrast between modern computing and the cutting-edge technology of the 1960s. Let’s take a closer look at how the Saturn V’s computer worked.
The Saturn V rocket’s guidance system was housed in the instrumentation ring, which contained digital computers. These computers were responsible for steering the rocket. The memory module, a crucial component, stored 14 kilobytes of data using magnetic core memory. Each tiny iron ring in the module represented a bit, magnetized to store a one or a zero.
Luke Talley, a senior associate engineer at IBM in Huntsville during the 1960s, explained how this system worked. The computer controlled everything from engine start and stop to navigation and guidance. It stored a flight profile, ensuring the rocket reached specific points at the right speed and direction.
The memory module used core memory technology, where wires threaded through magnetic cores. This process was painstakingly done by hand, often by women with textile industry experience. The direction of the current through the wires determined the magnetization of the cores, representing binary data.
Each module contained 8192 cores per plane, with 14 planes stacked together. The system was designed with redundancy in mind, using dual-redundant memory and triple-redundant logic to ensure reliability. During the Saturn V flights, there were fewer than 10 discrepancies, highlighting the system’s robustness.
Data from the Saturn V was collected via telemetry and analyzed post-flight. Unlike today’s rapid data processing, engineers of the 1960s manually converted octal numbers to decimal, plotted data by hand, and took weeks to identify and resolve issues. This meticulous process ensured the success of future missions.
Holding a piece of the Saturn V’s memory module evokes a sense of awe and appreciation for the craftsmanship involved. These components were tested extensively to ensure they could withstand the rigors of space travel. The memory was woven like cloth, a testament to the skill and dedication of those who built it.
In conclusion, the Saturn V’s guidance system was a remarkable achievement, blending human ingenuity with technological innovation. It serves as a reminder of the incredible feats we can accomplish when we combine passion, expertise, and collaboration.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Saturn V and its technology, consider exploring additional resources. Linus Tech Tips offers insights into the instrument unit and cooling system of the Saturn V. For a deeper dive into the interaction between Linus and Luke, check out the extended video on the second channel.
Thank you for joining us on this journey through history and technology. Let’s continue to get smarter every day!
Create a small-scale model of the Saturn V’s core memory using beads and wires. This hands-on activity will help you understand how binary data was stored and manipulated in the 1960s. Reflect on the craftsmanship and precision required to build such a system.
Take a virtual tour of Huntsville, Alabama, known as Rocket City. Explore the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and learn about the history of the Saturn V’s development. Consider how the city’s culture and community contributed to the success of the Apollo missions.
Research the differences between the Saturn V’s onboard computer and modern computing systems. Present your findings in a short presentation, highlighting advancements in technology and how they have changed space exploration.
Participate in a workshop where you manually convert octal numbers to decimal and plot data by hand, mimicking the process used by engineers in the 1960s. Discuss the challenges and insights gained from this meticulous data analysis method.
Conduct an interview with a computer engineer or historian specializing in space technology. Prepare questions about the Saturn V’s guidance system and its legacy. Share your interview insights with your classmates to foster a deeper understanding of the topic.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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The Saturn V rocket took humans to the moon for the first time, but the humans didn’t steer the rocket; it steered itself using a computer.
– [Man] Tower, clear.
– [Man] Gotta roll program.
A lot of the Saturn V rocket was built in Huntsville, Alabama, otherwise known as Rocket City. One of the really interesting things about living here is that it’s filled with aerospace and computer engineers who are passionate about this technology. You can actually pick up the phone and call a friend, and before you know it, you’re in a parking lot receiving a Saturn V memory module from someone you just met, who trusts that you’ll return it. This module contains 14 kilobytes of data, which is fascinating because on the same day I received this, I had Linus Sebastian from Linus Tech Tips here. We were installing a server that was over 100 terabytes. Millions of people look to Linus to understand more about modern computing hardware, so I thought it would be cool to pause our server work and take a closer look at this memory module and how it works. Let’s watch a modern computer enthusiast learn about cutting-edge technology from the 1960s. I’m Destin, and let’s get smarter every day.
– [Destin] Have you ever seen a Saturn V rocket?
– [Linus] No.
– [Destin] Okay, do you know what the Saturn V is?
– [Linus] Yes.
– [Destin] My daily life literally revolves around the Saturn V. Like, that’s the Saturn V peeking out over the trees right there.
– [Linus] Oh, there it is. Hello.
In the 60s, they had just started building digital computers, and I’m going to show you the computer that they used to steer that rocket.
– [Linus] I mean, it’s gotta be a bit of a terrifying experience having the equivalent of a very large bomb strapped to you.
So this is the brain for the Saturn V rocket. If you look up here, this is the instrumentation ring, and they had digital computers on it. This is the launch vehicle digital computer. And this right here is a memory module. If you look really closely, you can see those small rings.
– [Linus] Yeah.
– [Destin] These are wires that go down to these boards. On each node, you have an iron ring, and depending on how the iron ring is magnetized, that’s a one or a zero. That’s how they programmed this computer.
So look at this right here.
– [Linus] Holy smokes, it looks like zip ties on chicken wire.
– [Destin] Those are physical bits. You see that screen?
These wires connect to the boards. By hand, they threaded these wires through. I don’t even think you could build one of these today if you wanted to. That’s incredible.
– [Destin] There’s a guy who worked on this in the 60s. His name is Luke.
– [Linus] Fantastic.
– [Destin] I’m Luke Talley, and at this time in 1969, I was a senior associate engineer at IBM in Huntsville.
– [Destin] So your computer pointed the rocket?
– [Luke] That’s right. We steered the rocket.
So that’s a memory module.
– [Destin] That’s a whole memory module, yeah.
– [Luke] This computer controls all the timing: start engine, stop engine, fire separation rockets, fire retro rockets, all this kind of stuff. It does navigation and guidance. You have stored in the memory a profile for when you need to be at a specific point, going a certain speed and direction.
Now realize that this is core memory, with magnetic cores and wires feeding through them. You push a current through a wire, and depending on the direction, it magnetizes the core to represent a one or a zero. There are 8192 of those on this plane, and 14 of those planes stack to make this module.
This module is what you’re holding. The drivers to operate this are just to program it as a one or a zero. This is basically an analog process. I’m not writing ones and zeros into a logic gate; I’m actually magnetizing a core one way or the other. When I read it, I destroy the magnetization, so I have to write it back in to ensure it’s not missing.
So there’s one of these in this module, and then there’s one in each of these blocks on the wall over there.
– [Linus] Got it.
– [Luke] So we have 16 thousand words of memory, and when the Saturn is flying, both memories execute the same flight program in parallel. They compare outputs to ensure they’re getting the same answer. If they don’t, they go into a subroutine to determine which number to use.
Your critical parts are triple-redundant in logic and dual-redundant in memory. During all the Saturn flights, we had less than 10 miscompares, a very small number.
When building a rocket, you have important parameters to monitor: power, data bandwidth, mass, and volume. You need a reliable system, but you also have to decide how redundant is enough.
– [Luke] The more cores you add, the more unreliability you introduce due to the sheer number of parts.
Luke explains what it was like to receive data from the Saturn V via telemetry and analyze it. Today, we could do this in minutes with spreadsheet software, but back then, people were the computers.
– [Destin] So did you pull the data down while it was flying?
– [Luke] Things happen too quickly in flight to do that. We get the data back and analyze it to determine what worked and what didn’t. If something didn’t work, we’d figure out how to fix it for the next flight.
The data tapes come from all around the world, and we analyze them to determine what happened. If something went wrong in the computer, it usually coincided with issues in the telemetry system. We would get what’s called an octal dump, which is an 11 by 17 sheet of paper with 10-bit octal numbers.
We would print this out, spread it down the hallway, and analyze it for specific values. If a fixed value was okay, then our number was likely okay too.
Once we identified the problematic data, we would convert the octal numbers to decimal, refer to a calibration chart, and plot the data by hand. This process could take weeks, and sometimes we’d find out that what we thought was the problem wasn’t after all.
– [Linus] Oh, boy.
– [Destin] This is Ed, the head curator.
He shows a physical example of the memory cores, explaining how they were woven by hand, primarily by women with textile industry experience. They had to ensure everything was woven correctly to avoid issues with vibration.
– [Linus] Incredible.
– [Destin] I wanted you to hold the physical bit; now you know what that’s like.
– [Linus] This is more than 8 bits, so I’m holding at least a byte. (laughs)
– [Destin] When you look at this, what kind of emotion do you feel, Luke? Are you proud?
– [Luke] It’s a mix of fondness and relief that I don’t have to work on that anymore.
People might call it antique, but I would say it’s hand-crafted. A lot of handwork went into these.
– [Linus] Oh, you can tell.
They tested these components extensively to ensure reliability. The memory we looked at was made by hand, woven like cloth. Pretty amazing.
– [Linus] Oh, this is fascinating. Thank you very much.
I want to thank today’s sponsor, Audible. I’m about to recommend a 13-hour audiobook called “Salt: A World History” by Mark Kurlansky. It covers everything from ancient salt production to its impact on historical events.
You can get it by going to audible.com/smarter or texting “smarter” to 500-500. This audiobook is incredible, and you’ll love it. When you support “Smarter Every Day,” it allows me to create more videos about the topics I love.
If you want to see more of the interaction between Linus and Luke, check out the second channel for a 30-minute video. Luke is incredibly knowledgeable.
Also, check out Linus’s channel, Linus Tech Tips, where he discusses the instrument unit and the cooling system of the Saturn V.
– [Destin] Thanks, dude, appreciate it.
– [Linus] See you guys.
– [Kids] You’re welcome!
– [Destin] It’s called space camp.
– [Kids] Space camp!
– [Destin] All those kids are here to learn how to be astronauts and fighter pilots.
That’s Luke.
– [Linus] No way!
– [Destin] That’s Luke.
– [Linus] Luke Talley, there it is, far left. That’s nice.
– [Destin] Pretty neat, isn’t it?
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This version removes any inappropriate language and maintains a respectful tone throughout the transcript.
Rocket – A vehicle or device propelled by the rapid expulsion of gases, used for space exploration and travel. – The engineering team successfully launched the rocket, which will carry satellites into orbit.
Computer – An electronic device capable of processing data and performing complex calculations at high speed. – The physics department upgraded their computer systems to handle more sophisticated simulations.
Memory – The component of a computer that stores data and instructions for processing. – The simulation required a significant amount of memory to run efficiently.
Data – Information processed or stored by a computer, often used for analysis and decision-making in scientific research. – The researchers collected data from the experiment to analyze the behavior of particles under different conditions.
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry and research. – Advances in technology have significantly improved the accuracy of astronomical observations.
Guidance – The process of directing the path or course of a vehicle, often using control systems and sensors. – The guidance system of the spacecraft ensured it stayed on the correct trajectory to reach Mars.
Engineers – Professionals who apply scientific and mathematical principles to design and build structures, machines, and systems. – The engineers worked tirelessly to develop a more efficient propulsion system for the new satellite.
Core – The central or most important part of a system, often referring to the main processing unit in a computer. – The core of the computer was upgraded to improve its processing power for complex calculations.
Telemetry – The automated communication process by which measurements and other data are collected and transmitted to receiving equipment for monitoring. – The satellite’s telemetry data provided crucial information about its health and status during the mission.
Navigation – The process of accurately determining the position and course of a vehicle, often using GPS and other technologies. – The navigation system of the autonomous vehicle was tested to ensure it could safely maneuver through the city.
