HP-65 and NASA/JPL Missions

[Maximilian Hohmann]

Hello!

(09-10-2022 09:12 PM)Gene Dorr Wrote:  ...This is a vast over-simplification. You can't be in the middle of a time-critical operation (orbital rendezvous) and suddenly switch to a backup source of solutions if your primary source fails. ...

Don't forget that there was always a backup (or main, depending on the point of view) source of solutions during the Apollo missions: Ground control. The orbital rendezvous manoeuvers of the Mercury program and were flown with ground control guidance alone, Gemini had a rather simple onboard computer to assist.

And all the real critical rendezvous manoeuvers of the Apollo program, especially some of those in the lunar orbit, were flown with the Apollo Guidance Computers alone and no backup at all. So as much as we calculator afficionados would like it, the pocket calculator was never an essential piece of kit during these flights.

Regards
Max