Many people who are old enough to have experienced the first moon landing will vividly remember what it was like watching Neil Armstrong utter his famous words: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Half a century later, the event remains one of the top achievements of humankind. Despite significant technological advances, astronauts have not returned to the moon since 1972.
This seems surprising. After all, when we reflect on this historic event, it is often said that we now possess more computing power in our pocket than the computer aboard Apollo 11. But is that true? And, if so, how much more powerful are our phones?
On board Apollo 11 was a computer called the Apollo Guidance Computer. It had 2048 words of memory, which could only store temporary results—data that is lost when there is no power. This type of memory is known as RAM (random-access memory). Each word comprised 16 binary digits (bits), meaning the Apollo computer had just 32,768 bits of RAM memory.
The Evolution of Computing Power
The Apollo Guidance Computer was indeed revolutionary for its time. However, when you consider today’s smartphones, the difference in computing power is astonishing. For instance, modern smartphones typically have around 4GB of RAM, which equals 34,359,738,368 bits. This figure is more than one million times the RAM of the Apollo computer! The iPhone even boasts up to 512GB of ROM memory, or 4,398,046,511,104 bits, which is seven million times more than the guidance computer.
Memory isn't the only factor that matters; processing speed plays a significant role too! The Apollo 11 computer's processor operated at a speed of 0.043 MHz, while the latest iPhone's processor runs at about 2490 MHz. This means that the iPhone can have over 100,000 times the processing power of the Apollo computer that helped land humans on the moon.
Comparing with Classic Calculators
When comparing advanced technology, it’s fascinating to look back at classic calculators. For instance, Texas Instruments released the TI-73 in 1998 and the TI-84 in 2004. The TI-73 had slightly less ROM than the Apollo computer but boasted eight times more RAM. By the time the TI-84 was released, it had 32 times more RAM and over 14,500 times more ROM than the Apollo computer. This makes it mind-blowing to think that a simple calculator, designed to help students decades ago, was more powerful than the computer that landed man on the moon!
In terms of processing speed, the TI-73 was 140 times faster than the Apollo computer, while the TI-84 was nearly 350 times faster. This stark contrast showcases just how far technology has come since the late 1960s.
Imagining a Modern Apollo 11 Mission
Now, let's ponder what it would be like if Apollo 11 had access to modern technology. The Apollo computer was state-of-the-art for its time, but with today's advanced computers, the software-development time would have been much shorter. Modern software-development tools would allow for quicker coding, debugging, and testing of complex systems needed for a moon landing.
The user interface of the Apollo computer was a calculator-type interface where commands had to be input using numerical codes. Today, we would likely utilize touchscreen interfaces or even gesture controls, making it far easier to operate under stress. Interestingly, while communication speed with Earth has not improved since 1969, the quality of transmitted images has significantly advanced thanks to modern camera technology.
Lastly, if we consider artificial intelligence, today’s computers would have much greater capabilities. They could make informed decisions and aid astronauts significantly more than the Apollo 11 computer did. This could provide immense relief to astronauts in high-pressure situations, as evidenced by Armstrong’s own comments on the stressful nature of landing on the moon.
In conclusion, reflecting on the incredible achievements of the Apollo 11 mission reminds us of the limitations of the technology at that time. It is a testament to human ingenuity and determination that those missions succeeded despite the constraints. Now, with the extraordinary capabilities of modern devices, it opens the door to even more remarkable achievements in the future!
Graham Kendall is a professor of computer science and the chief executive of the University of Nottingham. This article first appeared on The Conversation.
