Margaret Hamilton, a computer scientist known for her contributions to NASA's Apollo missions, has died at the age of 90. Her death was confirmed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she worked from 1959 until the mid-1970s, managing the Software Engineering Division. Hamilton led the team that developed the onboard software for the Apollo 11 mission, which successfully landed astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon.
Hamilton was recognized for coining the term "software engineering" and was noted for her pioneering role in the field. In a statement, MIT remarked that she was a software engineer before the profession became mainstream.
On July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 Moon landing, an onboard computer alarm indicated an error due to an overload. Hamilton's team had anticipated such issues and designed "priority-driven software" that allowed the landing to proceed by shutting down non-essential tasks.
In 2016, Hamilton received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama, who acknowledged her as a symbol of the unsung women who contributed to space exploration. Hamilton was born in Indiana in 1936 and earned her BA in mathematics from Earlham College in 1958. After her time at MIT, she founded Hamilton Technologies, which continues to operate in Massachusetts.
Earlham College expressed sadness at her passing and gratitude for her achievements, stating that her legacy would inspire future generations. Hamilton is survived by her daughter, son-in-law, two grandsons, and four great-grandchildren.