The Code That Conquered the Moon: Remembering Software Pioneer Margaret Hamilton

Margaret Hamilton, the visionary computer scientist whose leadership and code were essential to the success of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission, has passed away at the age of 90. Renowned for coining the term "software engineering," Hamilton headed the Software Engineering Division of the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, where she developed the onboard flight software that allowed astronauts to safely land on the Moon. In recognition of her extraordinary contributions to science and technology, President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, the United States' highest civilian honor. Her legacy remains a foundational pillar of modern computing and space exploration history.