Virtual Apollo Guidance Computer (github.com)
The purpose of this project is to provide an emulation of the on-board Apollo guidance computers, along with some ancillary items needed to make the emulation do something interesting. "AGC" stands for Apollo Guidance Computer. The AGC was the principal on-board computer for NASA's Apollo missions, including all of the lunar landings.
22 comments
[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 64.3 ms ] thread"Mike Stewart has developed gate accurate FPGA replicas of the AGC and its test hardware. It represents a massive amount of work. If you are Mike, you can use it to fly the real missions, and simulate every signal in the AGC. Making this work is not for the faint or heart and requires intimate understanding of the AGC hardware and software. We offer no instructions and no support."
It's a lot cheaper and more accessible in this form, and much easier to integrate into projects that need AGC stand-ins.
Aside from the FPGA design though, yeah, all of the AGC software and the assembler is in the VirtualAGC repository.
Original Apollo 11 Guidance Computer source code - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40877959 - July 2024 (3 comments)
The Apollo Guidance Computer (2021) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38244927 - Nov 2023 (47 comments)
Restoring the Apollo Guidance Computer [video] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36648529 - July 2023 (23 comments)
Original Apollo 11 guidance computer (AGC) source code on GitHub - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29249509 - Nov 2021 (1 comment)
A Python Implementation of the Apollo Entry Guidance Algorithm - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28332793 - Aug 2021 (1 comment)
Recovering the Lost Apollo 10 LM Software [video] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23444709 - June 2020 (11 comments)
Apollo 11 Guidance Computer source code for the command and lunar modules - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22367416 - Feb 2020 (30 comments)
Apollo 11 Guidance Computer vs. USB-C Chargers - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22254719 - Feb 2020 (205 comments)
A deep dive into the Apollo Guidance Computer, and the hack that saved Apollo 14 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22193388 - Jan 2020 (1 comment)
A computer built from NOR gates: inside the Apollo Guidance Computer - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21107681 - Sept 2019 (25 comments)
Apollo Guidance Computer switching power supply works after 50 years - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20789187 - Aug 2019 (78 comments)
Apollo Guidance Computer Demonstration, at VCF West 2019 [video] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20604108 - Aug 2019 (8 comments)
An interview with Margaret Hamilton - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20453737 - July 2019 (12 comments)
Apollo 11 Had a Hidden Hero: Software - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20440622 - July 2019 (58 comments)
Bitcoin mining on an Apollo Guidance Computer - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20383561 - July 2019 (127 comments)
Software woven into wire: Core rope and the Apollo Guidance Computer - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20355914 - July 2019 (18 comments)
Inside the Apollo Guidance Computer's Core Memory - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19028346 - Jan 2019 (6 comments)
Virtual Apollo Guidance Computer - fnord77 ↗ Why is the VM for this 10Gb? lawlessone ↗ every atom is simulated Keyframe ↗ and each includes all the needed electrons tonymet ↗ https://apolloinrealtime.org/11/ Simon_ORourke ↗ I'm sure it could be emulated with a FPGA or similar, if it was a few hundred bucks and came with a DSKY lookalike I'd buy it sswaner ↗ I am willing to pay to have the physical interface built if anyone with the machinist/electrical engineering skills is interested. My vision is to have the screen and button interface built, with a Raspberry Pi powering it. Reply if interested. nativeit ↗ Check the YouTube series from @CuriousMarc, with the modern DSKY made by Ben Krasnow (@AppliedScience). They restored an original AGC, but used a gate-level accurate FPGA for testing. I believe the source is available, not 100%, but for sure Ben’s DSKY plans are available. Uses modern power and comms, but implements the original fluorescent on glass display tech. nativeit ↗ N/m, this has already been documented in these comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41102844 dwh452 ↗ Here's a kick-starter kit that does what you're asking for:
https://www.stgeotronics.com/open-dsky
I built one and loved it, I wrote my own Arduino C code to drive the device:
https://github.com/kjs452/KennysOpenDSKY tonymet ↗ what a great project and thanks for sharing. I wonder how peripherals are handled, especially thrusters _jholland ↗ For a comprehensive exposition of the technical aspects of the AGC, look no further than the Ultimate Apollo Guidance Computer Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx7Lfh5SKUQ emchammer ↗ What I would give to have something like this in my car. Toggle switches and tactile push buttons. Solid, easily-readable heads-up display in the windscreen or above the dash, even if it was just 7/14-segment readouts, would be better than a touchscreen navigation computer. szundi ↗ Shouts for a Kerbal integration :) Suzuran ↗ Orbiter has had modules using this for more than a decade so I see no reason why it can't be done for Kerbal other than nobody on the Kerbal side wants to do the work.
AGC is one of the classic computers that would be great to see reproduced with the original controls and UI, but with modern ICs at a budget price. Similar to NES classic re-release.
They not only do a brilliant job of exposing this niche system, but it is a foundational lecture for my knowledge of computer architecture in general