Her Code Got People on the Moon
Hamilton has made imperative and remarkable contributions to the field of space. As the director of the Software Engineering Division at MIT’s Instrumentation Laboratory, Hamilton led the team that developed the on-board flight software for NASA’s Apollo missions, including the historic Apollo 11 moon landing.
Margaret Hamilton’s contributions to the Apollo program and computer science have been widely recognized and celebrated. She coined the term “software engineering” to elevate the field and give it the respect it deserved alongside other engineering disciplines. Hamilton’s story not only highlights the crucial importance of software development in the success of the Apollo missions but also sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of women in the early days of computer science and space exploration. Her pioneering work and leadership helped pave the way for future generations of software engineers and computer scientists.