Left Brains for the Right Stuff covers the development of the computer, the race to the Moon, and the Cold War, as well as the author’s career. The prologue begins with a phone call that initiated the first contract resulting from the Kennedy administration’s commitment to putting a man on the Moon—the Apollo Guidance Computer or AGC. The author’s status as an employee of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at the time provides a unique perspective, as that institution would soon be overseeing the design and programming of the computer.
Blair-Smith discusses the history of computing (and its ever maturing hardware and software) and the space program with a focus on systems engineering. What is so amazing about this milieu is that the Lunar Orbit Rendezvous technique that was employed to put people on the Moon had not been seriously considered when the program began. Prior to this time, it was assumed that either a single large spacecraft would land on the Moon and return to Earth (Direct Ascent), or components would link-up in Earth orbit (Earth Orbit Rendezvous), but the ultimate selection of Lunar Orbit Rendezvous changed everything.
The first chapter provides a brief and somewhat humorous history of manned spaceflight before the 20th century with a nod to Jules Verne, which is followed by short step back into the fascinating history of navigation. An overview of the early rocket theorists and experimentalists such as Robert Goddard follows. Golfers will appreciate the author’s use of a putt to simulate the vagaries of the dynamics of a rocket’s guidance system. Then, a quick course on Cartesian coordinates orients readers to the space guidance environment along with an explanation of the utility of gyroscopes. There are a few mathematical terms defined, but don’t let them intimidate you as the author continues to prepare one for the computing work environment that was emerging.