Moon Machines

When you have a task to do and you don’t know where to start, you might feel a bit lost. This is basically what happened to the team that had to build the rockets, that would send mankind to the moon.

The quest was one of the most challenging ever and NASA had to find the way to distribute each task to the best available for each job. It had to involve not only mechanical engineers to build rockets, but also mathematicians, physicians and of course computer engineers.

In my opinion, one of the most relevant things that the documentary shows us is teamwork, because everyone knows exactly what they are supposed to do to achieve the common goal. For example, the team that had to squeeze the size of the computer knew that was the only way that a computer could fit into the lunar module. But doing their part of the job was also critical for the success of the Apollo program.

In teamwork, all people must have in mind the common goal. Even if their participation is minimal, it’s also part of a bigger task to complete.

Also, another thing that the documentary talks is about innovation. Some technologies that were made for the Apollo program were created for it. In the case of software, as the documentary states “it led to a proliferation of software routines at a time when programs were agonizingly laborious”. Those software routines became the foundation of later programs written by the same programmers.  

The main story of the documentary is about the navigational system that MIT had to develop for the Apollo program, the people involved and the challenges that emerged on the process. But even though the system was demoted to be the backup and the primary system would be radio waves from the earth, this system would guide the astronauts on the dark side of the moon, but most importantly, on the final landing process on the moon.  

It also shows that great efforts can endure the resistance of time. This was done in extraordinary circumstances and had extraordinary results too.