looking for documentation for 1963 minuteman missile computer

From: Douglas Quebbeman <dhquebbeman_at_theestopinalgroup.com>
Date: Tue Oct 16 08:45:46 2001

> At 11:43 PM 10/14/01 -0400, you wrote:
> >On Monday, October 15, 2001 9:25 PM, Carlos Murillo wrote:
> >> Rocket science is in the rocket engine. Navigation is
> >> not that hard, comparatively...
> >
> >When all you have to navigate with is a computer that takes
> >a full (milli)second to multiply and a telescope that could probably
> >only sense the horizon it gets a bit harder..
>
> Agreed. But at this point in time, navigation algorithms that
> are sufficiently precise can be developed/recreated by (almost)
> anyone with a phd in control theory. Rocket engine science is
> lots harder, because it is still a (largely) experimental affair.

True. Despite development over 40 years, witness the recent death
of the Linear Aerospike. Although in fairness, the engine is working
fine, it's the fuel tanks that we still don't know how to build...

-dq
Received on Tue Oct 16 2001 - 08:45:46 BST