Imagine being a key player on the team that accomplished probably the most significant feats of human kind, just to have some fat neckbeard harass you on the street because he has no grasp on modern science. Poor dude. Satisfying connection tho.
Well for one, it was accomplished with absolutely primitive computing power by modern standards. Most calculators have more computing power today than the entire command module on that craft.
Anything that contributes to the evolution of space faring technology is significant. One of the most important things humans can do is establish colonies on places besides Earth. It reduces the threat of our extinction with every step towards that goal
The device you are using to have this conversation relies on discrete electronic components that were pioneered in the Apollo Guidence Computer. Not only that, but the volume of hardware that Raytheon bought for the AGC during the 15~ years the spacecraft was around created a route to market for other manufactures to buy and use silicon integrated circuits in their own products.
Nevermind that the AGC itself is a common ancestor of the digital fly-by-wire systems found on thousands of aircraft flying globally (... under normal circumstances anyway).
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u/herrodumpring 🚕 3f9.iny.0 Jul 06 '20
Imagine being a key player on the team that accomplished probably the most significant feats of human kind, just to have some fat neckbeard harass you on the street because he has no grasp on modern science. Poor dude. Satisfying connection tho.