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34C3 - The Ultimate Apollo Guidance Computer Talk

media.ccc.de · talk · Watch on YouTube

Computer architecture & CPUsHistory of computingSpace exploration & spaceflight

What it is

Michael Steil and Christian Hessmann's 34C3 talk explaining the Apollo Guidance Computer end to end: hardware design, operating system, and mission software.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Repeatedly called the best and most comprehensive AGC talk, with commenters rewatching it and treating it as foundational computer architecture learning.

  • 9 people recommended it
  • 7 different months
  • 6 strong recommendations
  • first 2018, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “If you haven't seen this talk about the AGC you should definitely check it out”

    Talk about the Apollo Guidance Computer.

    emily-c, 2019-01 · Strong recommendation · in “Virtual Apollo Guidance Computer”

  2. “This is the best description of AGC I have seen so far, from hardware design to mission software, layer by layer”

    Layer-by-layer AGC description from hardware to mission software.

    mopsi, 2019-07 · Strong recommendation · in “Apollo 11 Had a Hidden Hero: Software”

  3. “this talk[1] from 34C3 will teach you everything you wanted to know and more”

    Comprehensive AGC talk covering multitasking, interrupts and its virtual machine.

    Zanneth, 2019-07 · Strong recommendation · in “Apollo 11 Had a Hidden Hero: Software”

  4. “The best presentation I have seen on the AGC architecture”

    Best presentation on AGC architecture.

    shadowofneptune, 2022-08 · Strong recommendation · in “The Apollo On-Board Computers”

  5. “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”

    Brilliant comprehensive AGC exposition; foundational for computer architecture knowledge.

    _jholland, 2024-07 · Strong recommendation · in “Virtual Apollo Guidance Computer”

  6. “His “Ultimate Guide” talks are great and I rewatch them at least once a year.”

    Great Ultimate Guide talk, rewatched yearly.

    msarnoff, 2025-04 · Strong recommendation · in “How MOS 6502 Illegal Opcodes Work (2008)”

  7. “Anyone interested in AGC stuff might also want to check out this video from the 34th Chaos Communication Congress that exhaustively explains how it works”

    Exhaustive explanation of how the Apollo Guidance Computer works.

    theclaw, 2018-11 · Recommendation · in “Apollo AGC Restoration Part 1 [video]”

  8. “For anyone interested in the AGC itself I can recommend”

    Talk covering the Apollo Guidance Computer itself.

    lhoff, 2019-07 · Recommendation · in “ Software woven into wire: Core rope and the Apollo Guidance Computer”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: agc, computer architecture, apollo, operating systems, chaos communication congress

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