Apollo Guidance Computer Part 5: We run a chunk of original Apollo code!

We are out of time for our first visit, and memory is not working. But our whiz kid Mike manages to whip up an FPGA memory emulator for the AGC just before we have to leave. The AGC gets to run a chunk of an original Apollo program!
Frequent comment answers:
Yes we know about Francois Rautenbach and the Block I core ropes ( • Apollo Rope Memory Mod... ). These ropes are also from Jimmie but are not compatible with our Block II computer.
Yes we are in contact with Fran • Apollo AGC DSKY Displa... (and several others) about their superb DSKYs replicas.
Some relevant links:
Playlist of the restoration series: • Apollo Guidance Comput...
Block I AGC period documentary: • MIT Science Reporter-"...
Inertial navigation system documentary: • Video
Schematics: www.ibiblio.org/apollo/links....
and: archive.org/details/agc_handb...
Mike's AGC backplane viewer: apolloguidance.computer/200310...
AGC software repo: github.com/virtualagc/virtualagc
The Ultimate Apollo Guidance Computer Talk: • 34C3 - The Ultimate A...
Our sponsor for PCBs: www.pcbway.com
Support the team on Patreon: / curiousmarc
Merch on Teespring: teespring.com/stores/curiousm...
Learn more on companion site: www.curiousmarc.com
Contact info: kzbin.infoa...

[@allenrains3132]

Could you imagine what the maid would think seeing all that in a hotel room hahaha

[@lucianolandi7307]

As ex electronic technician, I think most people have no idea how immensely difficult is the work you’re doing.

[@kamratframjandet]

As a modern day programmer, I can only agree.

[@eloyex]

I did this when young and yes, is a labor of love, patience and intelligence. No space for anger, frustration or dumbness here !!!!!

[@kurtfrancis4621]

I'm an ME that started out as a EE major. I know just how much LABOR is involved in this. Kudos to these guys.

[@forbiddenera]

Yes, this video doesn't even come close to revealing how tough this really is

[@ariel340]

I have no experience on electronics nor programming, and I can tell this is extremely complex. This guys did an extraordinary job.

[@albertj3421]

The clock on my VCR has been blinking 12:00 for twenty years and these guys are re-engineering NASA tech in a motel.....

[@Trek001]

My Grandmother recently passed away and still had a VCR that blinked the clock - both time and date. She'd never bothered to set it, but I found the instruction manual and dusted it off and reprogrammed it. Found out it didn't work, so I went on ebay and got the parts and fully repaired it and made it operational... I felt like a god

[@col8981]

What is a VCR?

[@squiggle2054]

@@col8981 video cassette recorder, before digital basically it recorded programs onto physical tape, also was used to play movies on and a ton of other things im too lazy to type

[@2rkolle]

@@col8981 video cassete recorder

[@adamsnook9542]

Nerd level - God Emperor. I love the interaction between the old technology and the new in getting an FPGA to simulate the old ROM for the AGC.

[@Carstuff111]

Nothing like seeing 50+ year old computer technology coming back to life, interfacing with modern machines!!! This is such a beautiful site!!!

[@steventhehistorian]

After this filming the AGC was seen walking around the streets of its hometown, Cambridge, MA, marveling at iPhones casually interfacing with GPS saying 'the world went and got itself into a big damn hurry...'

[@musicmakelightning]

What a great project. Those of us old enough remember stepping outdoors and looking into the sky, seeing the moon, and knowing there were people on it. Amazing it happened with 1960s technology. Your work brings that detail for us to see. Thanks for this!

[@johnbouttell5827]

It's as if you've found mysterious technology from another world -- and you're trying to reverse engineer it so you can time travel to the stars.

[@bombtwenty3867]

Looks like a bunch of wires to me

[@togowack]

After the program we had tech from the future, which is why there is today so much confusion regarding the moon program and conspiracies. Nothing else would explain our move to solid state and fiber optics besides exploration of annunaki ruins. It was a massive race for ancient tech.

[@babyruuth]

.....Again :)

[@kaijusears5768]

I was blessed to be there and watch power supplies come up. Mike is my hero, I'm in awe. incredibly brilliant !!! To be in the presence of this legendary computer and actually see it working is an experience few men will ever have.

[@barcooter8248]

When civilisation ends and you have to start again.........you need Mike.

[@danny_racho]

This guy is a master. Logic analyzers and protocol the whole thing instructions on the FPGA

[@electronash]

...One giant leap for Nerdkind. Congrats, guys. ;)

[@Diode5]

I'm amazed how much knowledge you guys already have of the AGC prior to seeing it and cracking it open. To be able to confidently operate on the thing and get it working in a hotel room is astounding. It's a remarkable piece of engineering and just makes you appreciate even more the capabilities we have today and the people that make it all happen.

[@ChannelSho]

I can't imagine what the people who worked on the AGC during its time went through to make sure that the system worked. This brings a whole another level of respect for those men and women of the Apollo project.

[@ezragonzalez8936]

been building on breadboards for decades as a hobby basic early apple clones and I have to say that in 25 years of work does not come even close to the work you guys have accomplished in a few days!! you guys are unbelievable!

[@F-Man]

It would be so cool if you could get this thing running up to 100%, with the DSKY and clock displays, and then run the launch guidance program at 9:32am on July 16, 2019.

[@SidneyCritic]

So that's what I was doing 50 years ago. lol

[@dirtbuilder4615]

Conect some form of output ( some lamps ) To unused ram partitions and code a simple game by writing to these memory adresses . Ore a game on the dsky if there is one available That would prevent bored astronauts

[@Stepclimb]

Wasn’t launch guidance provided by the IU in the interstage ring between the SII and SIV-B? Was the AGC simply running a display of the MET, and velocity while providing attitude data to the 8 balls?

[@F-Man]

Stepclimb I think the IMU did handle the data gathering and the actual execution of the launch commands, with the AGC being there to monitor and function as a backup if the IMU failed. On Apollo 12, we saw the AGC get taken out by the lightning strike, but the IMU was unaffected. I wonder what would have happened had the reverse occurred.

[@mikestewart8928]

The Saturn V guidance system was totally separate from the Command Module's, and had its own IMU. The CSM's IMU was affected by the strike, in that its control loop was broken and so it started tumbling. They had to re-align it once they got to orbit. I believe on all missions the AGC could take over control of the TLI burn from the SIVB, but on later missions it was possible to take over during any stage of flight. During first stage flight the computer did open-loop control, but the closed-loop control needed during second and third stage flight didn't fit in the available memory, so the astronauts would have to joystick the Saturn V into orbit by comparing numbers on the DSKY with the current trajectory.

[@AsbestosMuffins]

"I got the memory, mike got the rope, carl has the dsky, and mike has to launch a satellite." lol

[@MrRobbyvent]

Mike is the star of the show for me, he put together an FPGA project on the fly just to solve the rope memory problem. No wonder now he "has to launch a satellite"!

[@laptech8272]

I've been watching from the start of the project and i have to say that Mike is just something else, he's like on a different stratosphere to everyone else in his knowledge of not just the AGC but his knowledge of electronic design and software design and programming. Take the complete Enigma team from Bletchley park, roll them all into one and you get Mike :)

[@SuprSi]

It absolutely blows my mind what you guys have achieved, and the fact that the AGC itself actually works! The simulated rope and RAM was ingenious! :D Congrats to all involved, and thanks for bringing us along on the journey!

[@djmips]

Wow, great to have a ringer like Mike on board who has tremendous skill and experience with the AGC. Great teamwork and am looking forward to future updates.

[@BlackEpyon]

Ever hear people say that we can't build another Apollo because everybody who worked on it is dying off? Well, get a couple more kids like Mike, start throwing money, and we could be well on our way!

[@TheRealColBosch]

@@BlackEpyon I am seeing a tremendous resurgence in hands-on knowledge amongst all generations. Hell, I'm 40, and I've decided to reboot my life and become a woodworker.

[@BlackEpyon]

@@TheRealColBosch I'm into retro-computing myself, playing with, modding, and repairing machines that are as old as I am. Retro computing is how I ran across this channel. Something I've noticed is that people who get into restoring old computers tend to have the analytical midset that allows them to be a jack of all trades. Can't find a replacement part for that old machine you're trying to fix? That's okay, we'll just make a new one!

[@TheRealColBosch]

@@BlackEpyon That's exactly what I'm talking about! I'm more into old stereo hifi equipment than computers, and it's another field where you have to learn all sorts of skills. To properly restore, say, an old reel-to-reel tape recorder could involve electronics, woodworking, and mechanical fabrication. There's just something about taking an old machine, sometimes older than myself, and restoring it to its old glory - and sometimes beyond. In fact, part of the reason I'm getting into woodworking is to build the hifi cabinet of my dreams: Mid-Century Modern style with actual modern components, a showpiece for my place that'll last me the rest of my life.

[@BlackEpyon]

@Jonas The Movie I've heard it for everything. The fabrication of the tanks, the F1's, the guidance computer, everything. But I think you're right, the biggest issue would be refining down the F1 engine design to where stuff didn't need to be hand fitted. But one has to keep in mind that they didn't have CAD back then, so where the blueprint may show a pipe going from one spot to another, but meeting at either end on two different axis which makes it hard to calculate the exact angles in paper. You'd have to figure out the mating faces as you assemble it, probably by mating the ends, tack welding the section in the middle so you have your position and fitting, then removing it and completing the welds. These days, you'd just pull out the blueprints, replicate it in CAD, and refine the entire design before anything is ever fabricated, and you'd have absolute angles and positions all mapped out before you even begin.

[@chbrules]

I've been following each vid you've released. This is incredible. Thank you so much for undertaking this project of love and for showing the world!

[@eloyex]

me too !!!!!!!! Nerd Porn Food

[@kingt.hawkings32]

Last time I saw anything close to this was at Cal tech 2003..when Brian Keating allowed me inside the science lab to observe and ask questions about the units design of the prototype, (Biceps) polarimeter telescope. To bad he lost the Noble Prize. Geniuses at work, love it!

[@forbiddenera]

Now THIS is HACKING.

[@anthonyvidana2654]

great video -good job. I used to test this computer in 1st floor in Bldg. 6 Downey Space Division Rockwall back in 1969, The computer was heavy and it was connected to a checkout console. It was quite easy to test for experienced computer trained technicians. Just hook it up run the test program and it was done, I never saw the inside of the computer when I worked on it. It was nice to see the complete break down and hand testing of this device on video..

[@danielson9579]

The world needs more youngsters like mike :-)

[@eloyex]

Mike remains me when I was a young engineer back in the 80s working with the first intel 8080/8085 , when 2K SDRAM was a BIG THING and 5Mhz clock was lighting fast speed !! What a wonderful time was that to me ......... Keep moving on this wonderful project !! Congrats.

[@alancordwell9759]

Well done guys, this is a truly historic event. I sincerely hope this project doesn't stop here- it would be great to see it running with a DSKY! Best wishes for 2019 :)

[@Trek001]

The next step would be to place it into a CM or LM and see if it works onboard

[@nightrous3026]

Simply amazing. As someone who does electronics as a hobby and really likes the apollo missons, i love this video.

[@randomunavailable]

Gene Kranz should watch this series. Failure is not an option for this team.

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

Kudos for the computer engineers who designed and built the AGC in the 1960's. They were true geniuses making full use of the absolute cutting edge of tech of the time.

[@joechill1]

I'm astonished that you were able to get the AGC running. Unbelievable work.

[@mindeloman]

Great job guys on this archeological endeavor. The AGC is the electronic crown jewel of the early space program.

[@mikedench1110]

Even as a virtual ignoramus I am blown away by your painstaking work and recognize what an achievement that was. Jolly well done! (Meanwhile still struggling with Sinclair Spectrum Basic...) I dont really understand what is involved but I don't need to in order to appreciate the magnitude of the task. Sorry its a year later but I hope one of you gets this message of thanks and appreciation.

[@HOSSgarage]

Blown away by the dedication and talent in that room! Really cool to watch you guys work !!!!!!

[@MattVileta]

Thank you so much for bringing us along for the journey! Truly a joy to see tech from 50 years ago still rocking.

[@sidewinder666666]

Can't wait to see what happens on your second visit! What an incredible piece of history you've been able to help preserve. Good job, all!

[@BrowncoatDoctor]

Mike was a freaking MVP during this project!

[@andrewrixon2347]

Its scary the amount of nerd power in that small room !! A fantastic effort by you all. I can’t wait for the outcome in the future. Thanks again Marc for a great episode. PLUS it’s Sunday so I wasn’t late for work this time ! Joyeux Noel

[@Membrane556]

Impressive this may be the first time since the early 1970s that software has ran on the original hardware.

[@arcadeuk]

I am very impressed by the combined skillets of you guys. This mini video series has been very interesting to watch. It's wonderful seeing old hardware brought back to life

[@lordofthecats6397]

Uhh I hate how these shows leave big cliffhangers at the end of every season.

[@Administrator_O-5]

Congratulations! Mike is scary smart & it's awesome!

[@jaco1982za]

I have been following this series from the beginning, and when this episode popped up in my list just now, I audibly said, "Ooh!". Awesome work guys. Keep up the effort. And if anyone asks why you are doing this, you can tell them, "Because one day there won't be any more left"

[@oscareriksson9414]

😂 the wiring! And I had mayor difficulties wiring a standard 4 resistor h-bridge. You guys are geniuses

[@babyruuth]

Anyone that questions the ability of younger generations should watch this....We got this y'all....

[@NicholasMaietta]

A makeshift lab in a hotel room? Awesome.

[@RetroComputerStu]

Mazel Tov! It's alive! I really hope you get the opportunity to continue work on the AGC and restore it to fully operational and complete condition! It's a very noble thing you and your associates there are doing preserving such an important part of history.

[@stupossibleify]

Incredible that you were able to safely interface contemporary and obsolete, obscure electronics so effortlessly and with such courage!

[@crazy8sdrums]

This really was an amazing, and amazingly nerdy, project! Bravo to you guys for keeping that very important part of computing history alive!

[@lylewyant3356]

Takes me back a few years. I can remember before I started elementary school watching a Gemini rocket going up. Stopped me dead in my tracks and that's saying a lot. Of course I have been glued to the tv for stuff like this ever since. These videos are spurring an interest in Arduino and 8 bit computing. Great works guys!

[@ritosankhohalder9366]

Mike should receive a Noble Prize for patience.

[@alpcns]

Fantastic effort and wonderful results. This is historic stuff and enormously important. Keep going! My hat off to you, Sir.

[@drjmansplace5174]

Genius FPGA solution. Great work.

[@jtveg]

I am really excited about the progress and the working restoration of this historically important computer. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@jeffkrob4972]

Ahhh...good 'ol wire wrap board. Brings back fond memories of my US Navy days back in the '80's & the gear I maintained (AN/SLQ-32(v) 3)

[@cdanielh128]

Great progress this first trip! I look forward to you guys hopefully restoring this old beauty. Just trying to explain this to my wife and kids on how amazing these things were took some time and emotion.

[@brycelobdell6232]

This is incredible. I will watch every last one of these videos about AGC.

[@brandona1370]

This has been an absolutely wonderful series of videos! I am so excited to see the next one.

[@LesiureBoy]

I have absolutely no idea how all this stuff works, but looks cool as hell.

[@LightTheUnicorn]

Working right down to the last minute there! Absolutely amazing to see!

[@USWaterRockets]

Congratulations! You guys are awesome! Thanks for making this happen and doing these wonderful videos!

[@reasonablebeing5392]

Awesome work - congratulations!! Can't wait to see the project completed and running.....

[@billconley4239]

I'm not 100% sure who "Mike" is but he is a Genius!

[@elvisischrist]

You guys rock!! Your time working with a true treasure of the human species is priceless!! Thanks for sharing.

[@alansmithee183]

Thank God Mike is on our side!

[@dirtyharry1844]

Although i understand absolutely nothing of what they are doing, it is fascinating to watch their journey to try to solve the problem.

[@Titantramp4u]

Awesome!...cool factor off the chart...great job guys!

[@AlainHubert]

Outstanding work in such a short amount of time ! You guys are geniuses.

[@lmulligan6969]

Very cool series. Great work guys. Loved every minute.

[@chenguefer156]

Amazing. Congratulations and many, many thanks for sharing with us!.

[@MichaelLloyd]

This has been an amazing series. Congrats to the team.

[@jussapitka6041]

Amazing how you can get so much done in such a short time. Good job and Merry Christmas!

[@markm0000]

Jussapitka the guy has this entire thing memorized by heart.

[@ewetoo]

Great news, and looks like we'll get something working for the new year!

[@DocMacLovin]

How can someone downvote such a vid? This is H/W restoration GOD-LEVEL !

[@stevekoehn1675]

Beautiful! Wonderful! I envy you guys. Thank you for putting it out so I can "be" there. Thanks to all of you

[@ingSinTitulo]

Simply awesome. Congrats

[@repawnd1]

does this mean we can finally go back to the moon?

[@Henpitts]

Oh That's why we never went back. We lost the technology.

[@seaturtledog]

It cracks me up to think that the moon hoaxers are so smart but what have they done so far as any proof? They usually can't understand basic photography!

[@seaturtledog]

@@bobroberts2371 Look what happened to Boeing with trying to use old technology of the 737 and new computer controls. Sometimes the safer option is to redesign everything from scratch.

[@sp4ni3l]

Amazing work guys! I am looking forward to the next video. And indeed like one of the previous responses: Nerd Level, God-emperor! Keep it up.

[@JeffGolenia]

Outstanding work, gentlemen!

[@KolliRail]

You guys are unbelievable! Great job again!

[@f16pilotjumper]

Congrats! Crossing my fingers that the erasable memory module repair goes smoothly.

[@TheJimbodean67]

I think this experiment has resulted in a nationwide shortage of jumper wires lol. Great effort and end result! Thank you for sharing.

[@carlclaunch793]

Yes, we dredged up every jumper that Mike, Ken and I had in our respective workspaces and brought them to Houston. Barely enough.

[@qbradq]

Mike is my hero! No RAM? No problem. Let's make some 😁

[@carldaniel6510]

Amazing result! Wow.

[@nzoomed]

This is incredible how you even got this far!

[@jmarston1043]

you remind me of the scientists in the Jurassic world films..... by bring a slice of history back to life....... extremely fascinating - great achievement guys

[@michaelwhite880]

I love this project, omg amazing work guys :)

[@kevinkatz7027]

Good job people, that is amazing work!

[@TheNovum]

Nice Christmas for us space/computer fans

[@user-rw5wk3sg7z]

WOW! It's amazing! Congratulations men's! It's really demonstration power of the engineering mind! It's amazing! I'm shocked...

[@fredflintstone8048]

Bravo, and thank you for sharing!

[@albertolenzi5562]

Great results tila now👍 It will be interesting to try to fix memory. However it’s so cool Marry Christmas to everybody there🇺🇸

[@gmcjetpilot]

Love this... Great work bringing this important piece of space and computer technology back. A lot of Apollo's artifacts were lost lost or destroyed, including the original recording of the first step on moon.. only copy was a repeater station in Australia ..... NASA lost, over wrote or discarded their copy....

[@carlclaunch793]

Many of the lost paper and physical items are being rediscovered lately. Film and mag tapes were stored in a blockhouse in Cape Kennedy with no air conditioning, which is why those are lost, as is destroyed by neglect.

[@gaius_enceladus]

Great stuff! Keep up the great work!

[@Losttoanyreason]

This is cool. Not bashing, its' amazing we made it to the moon with this equipment. Those were some brave man on those spacecraft and some pretty smart people that cobbled this hardware together to get them there and back safely. Doing so much with so little took some brains!

[@Matt2chee]

Mike is a friggin' genius.

[@sundhaug92]

Wow, glad to see this working

[@pdppanelman5889]

Well done chaps! from the UK

[@Pyro19903]

Great job too bad you had to leave I would love to see more of the agc running programs

[@carlclaunch793]

so would we. We have not come to the end of the project, just a pause while we do some repairs and build some support equipment like the core rope simulator.

[@SuprSi]

@@carlclaunch793 That's great to hear, I can't wait until the next installment :D Keep up the fantastic work!

[@maltoNitho]

Amazing, just amazing.

[@Thatguyyoumettoday]

This is some really hardcore nerding! I have absolutely no idea what's going on but i love it lol

[@72polara]

Congratulations to the entire group! Just look at the smile on Jimmie's face at 7:26! When everything is up and running with memory and DSKY will there be a modern computer simulating the spacecraft I/Os? Something that would allow the AGC to "think" it is in an actual flying spacecraft.