NASA Apollo Saturn V KSC Launch Control ACE Brain RCA110A Computer Circuit Board for Sale

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NASA Apollo Saturn V KSC Launch Control ACE Brain RCA110A Computer Circuit Board For Sale

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NASA Apollo Saturn V KSC Launch Control ACE Brain RCA110A Computer Circuit Board:
$148.00

Original NASA Apollo Saturn V KSC Launch Control Artifact
* Vintage NASA Apollo Saturn V Rocket, Kennedy Space Launch Control Center Ground Support Equipment, ACE/Automatic Checkout Equipment \'Brain\' RCA 110A Computer Circuit Board *
After the first successful flight of an Apollo-Saturn V Rocket, Wernher von Braun credited success \"to our automatic checkout procedure.\"
NASA\'s critical operations for the Apollo manned lunar missions included the launch control countdown support and equipment ground testing/acceptance checkout for each stage of the Saturn spacecraft and its associated systems. This automatic checkout was the responsibility of the ACE (Automatic Checkout Equipment or Acceptance Checkout Equipment) at Cape Canaveral\'s Launch Control Center. Through the use of computers, display consoles, and recording equipment, ACE provided an instantaneous, accurate method of spacecraft pre-flight testing. The \"brain\" of the ACE was the RCA 110A Saturn Ground Control Major Computer System.
ACE relied on the 110A computer as its main constituent, directing the associated input/output equipment for these integrated system checkouts and launch control procedures. Through this process control system, all Saturn stages are checked, and data from the engines, and I.U. (Instrument Unit) guidance, flight control, propellants, measurement, and telemetry systems were provided. All test transmissions went through the RCA 110A computer; if it failed, the entire checkout would stop. IBM wrote both the flight programs and the Saturn Operating System that ran on the RCA computers and executed ATOLL (Acceptance Test Or Launch Language) procedures.
The RCA 110A provided a number of significant capabilities:Input / Output processing simultaneously, General purpose data processing and reduction, Ability of two RCA 110A\'s to work in tandem via data link, General purpose computing, Real-time control monitoring and testing of multiple digital and analog systems, and Versatile peripheral equipment.
The RCA 110A System consisted of the following complement of cabinets:Mainframe, Power supply, Memory, Datalink, Discretes, Switching, and Peripherals.
The RCA 110A data channels controlled signals to and from many other interfaces such as:control consoles, dual data links to the pad, digital data systems of the launch vehicle, computer display systems, spacecraft computer systems, and the launch countdown clock system.
The RCA 110A had two general modes (semi-automatic (Fig 4) and automatic) of operation available for use, and three basic features: Discrete actions called up from the ESE switches; Call up from the display consoles of test programs and discrete requests or monitoring; and Periodic monitoring of test points, discrete status, and red-line values.
The RCA 110A Saturn Ground Control Computer System primarily supported the Saturn V missions from Complex 39 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. An RCA 110A \'master\' computer system was located in the Launch Control Center (LCC); an RCA 110A \'slave\' computer system was located in the Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT) on the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) upon which the Saturn rocket was erected. The \'slave\' computer interfaced with the launch vehicle, issuing commands and receiving responses.
Engineers could initiate launch vehicle tests from display consoles linked to programs stored within the master RCA 110A. In performing a test, the responses from each stage were evaluated based on the applied stimuli. The 110A computer would direct the data received from these tests to the stimulus-generating equipment, to be displayed locally at a selected test station, or to be recorded for later hard copy printout. There were 15 display systems in each LCC firing room, with each system capable of giving digital information instantaneously. The test conductor\'s CRT console was the focal point for maintaining control of all test operations and the computer.
During the Saturn I program, automation moved forward at a slow, deliberate pace; at any time the launch team could have reverted to manual operation. By the time of the first Saturn IB launch in February 1966, however, KSC was firmly committed to automated testing. While a completely automated checkout was still a long way off, the RCA 110A computer (a 110 with increased memory) was \"on-line\" for the first IB operation. On-line status represented the decision to use the Saturn IB missions as a testbed for Saturn V automation. As the early use of the RCA 110 indicated trouble-free operations, the 110A major computer became the workhorse of the Saturn V spacecraft ground testing checkout and countdown support at the Cape. - Source: NASA.gov.
This circuit board measures approximately 8.75 inches x 4.25 inches. It uses discrete components and contains precious metals. The NASA certification stamp is still clearly visible on this device.
The last ten NASA and RCA images are for reference only, including diagrams illustrating the RCA 110A computer configuration and integration in the Apollo Saturn systems with the final photo showing the Launch Control Center\'s ACE system during the Apollo era.
This artifact originally belonged to a NASA Kennedy Space Center engineer who lived in Melbourne, Florida.
NASM, the National Air and Space Museum, of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, has two examples of this RCA 110A component.
Several pages of NASA Apollo RCA 110A Saturn Ground Control Major Computer System information will be included with this purchase. This NASA technical document is show in the listing photos.
This critical NASA computer board will make a beautiful display of classic Apollo Saturn launch control center technology!We require that all potential buyers read our \'FAQ and Terms of Sale\' section, at the bottom of each listing, prior to purchase, offer or offer placement and inquiries.FAQ & Terms of Sale:* Artifact Inquiries: Please submit all questions regarding listed artifacts, prior to purchase or offer placement, and allow at least 24 hours for a response. Write in anytime with all other questions or special artifact requests. We will try to locate any specific type of spaceflight hardware that you are interested in purchasing.* Artifact Provenance: Artifacts that include provenance (or any documents, original receipts, part tags, certificate of authenticity / COA, etc) in the sale will specify this in the listing\'s written description and will be shown in the listing photos. If any of this type of provenance/paperwork is not shown in the photos and specified as \"included\" in the listing, then it is not available or included in the sale.* Artifact Flight Status: FLOWN Hardware = Spacecraft hardware/components, crew equipment, scientific instruments, or other items/materials that have been flown. FLIGHT Hardware = Spacecraft flight-qualified spares or backup hardware/components and engineering test articles made of the same components as the flight article. These are items that could have flown but were not flown. Ground Support Equipment (GSE) = Non-flight space program hardware, equipment, and scientific Instruments used in direct association with the spacecraft, spacecraft engineers, and technicians. These are items that were used and made for ground support that may or may not have been in direct contact with the spacecraft prior to launch.* All items listed here are being sold as collectible artifacts only, and although they may be in perfect working order, we are not able to test them for functionality.* International Customers: Most artifacts will ship internationally. If the international shipping cost is not shown in the listing, please send a message requesting the rate. All international, customs associated duties or fees are additional (not included in this transaction), and they are the buyer\'s responsibility. We can not take special customs form requests. All information entered on customs forms is automated through , based on the exact item listing description and value information saved in \'s system.
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