13 Aug Happy Birthday Blog: Margaret Hamilton
Margaret Elaine Heafield Hamilton
Born: August 17, 1936
Paoli, Indiana
Known For: Computer Scientist That Developed the On-Board Flight Software for NASA’s Apollo Space Program
As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the US Moon Landing (July 20th this year) it’s important to recognize the contribution of the women who worked so hard to ensure that the Apollo mission was a success.
One such woman is Margaret Hamilton. In 1959, she took a job at MIT, where she learned to write software. In 1961, the organization contracted with MIT to develop a guidance and navigation system for the Apollo programs. As a result of her training, she was the first person hired for the Apollo project at MIT.
Hamilton is known for popularizing the term ‘software engineering’ and after she left NASA she founded two software companies. In 2003, NASA awarded her the NASA Exceptional Space Act Award and in 2016 President Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Hamilton is a trailblazing woman in a field dominated by men and for this and all her achievements we wish her a very happy birthday.
You can learn more about Margaret here.