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If you want to see debugging a computer in space, check out Apollo 13's sequel, Apollo 14. The moon landing is being held up by shorted-out switch that's causin

If you want to see debugging a computer in space, check out Apollo 13's sequel, Apollo 14. The moon landing is being held up by shorted-out switch that's causing the LM to abort the landing, and it's up to the programmers back home to figure out how to work around it in time to allow the landing. Apollo 13 was the story of a 'successful failure', while Apollo 14 shows how hard work and creative thinking can turn failure into success.

NikolaNovak 5y ago
Is there actually an Apollo 14 movie? I can find Apollo 18 but not a Apollo 14 feature movie. I saw this but it's a short documentary and may not be what you meant: https://www.amazon.com/Apollo-14-Complete-Downlink-Edition/dp/B00007GUG4 https://www.amazon.com/Apollo-14-Complete-Downlink-Edition/d...
- cratermoon 5y ago
  There's the HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon", which covers this with the Apollo 14 mission. Highly recommended.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - NikolaNovak 5y ago
    Ahh, yes; I've seen the series multiple times - agreed that it's great, especially for those who enjoyed Apollo 13. I wasn't sure if there was a different Apollo-14 movie OP/Trothamel was referring to...
- trothamel 5y ago
  No, or at least not that I know of. I was having a bit of fun by declaring Apollo 14 (the mission) the sequel to Apollo 13 (the mission).
bumby 5y ago
Was this the scenario where there was a false positive warning light but they had no way to test if it was truly a false alarm? I remember attending a talk by an Apollo engineer who convinced the control room that the switch design had a propensity to a short and it really came down to a probability-based judgement call
geocrasher 5y ago
Scott Manley to the rescue: "The Computer Hack That Saved Apollo 14" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSSmNUl9Snw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSSmNUl9Snw
cameldrv 5y ago
Don Eyles' book Sunburst and Luminary has a chapter on this, and Don was primarily responsible for the Apollo 14 workaround. The book is also generally just a fantastic account of what it was like to develop software for the Apollo Guidance Computer.
- trothamel 5y ago
  Also about living through the sexual revolution. It's a really interesting book, but as much of a memoir as a technical book.

NikolaNovak 5y ago

Is there actually an Apollo 14 movie? I can find Apollo 18 but not a Apollo 14 feature movie. I saw this but it's a short documentary and may not be what you meant: https://www.amazon.com/Apollo-14-Complete-Downlink-Edition/dp/B00007GUG4 https://www.amazon.com/Apollo-14-Complete-Downlink-Edition/d...

cratermoon 5y ago
There's the HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon", which covers this with the Apollo 14 mission. Highly recommended.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- NikolaNovak 5y ago
  Ahh, yes; I've seen the series multiple times - agreed that it's great, especially for those who enjoyed Apollo 13. I wasn't sure if there was a different Apollo-14 movie OP/Trothamel was referring to...
trothamel 5y ago
No, or at least not that I know of. I was having a bit of fun by declaring Apollo 14 (the mission) the sequel to Apollo 13 (the mission).

bumby 5y ago

Was this the scenario where there was a false positive warning light but they had no way to test if it was truly a false alarm? I remember attending a talk by an Apollo engineer who convinced the control room that the switch design had a propensity to a short and it really came down to a probability-based judgement call

geocrasher 5y ago

Scott Manley to the rescue: "The Computer Hack That Saved Apollo 14" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSSmNUl9Snw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSSmNUl9Snw

cameldrv 5y ago

Don Eyles' book Sunburst and Luminary has a chapter on this, and Don was primarily responsible for the Apollo 14 workaround. The book is also generally just a fantastic account of what it was like to develop software for the Apollo Guidance Computer.

trothamel 5y ago
Also about living through the sexual revolution. It's a really interesting book, but as much of a memoir as a technical book.