Margaret Elaine Hamilton

Margaret Elaine Hamilton - Renowned Computer Scientist

Janet Newton recently shared with our members some fascinating background on Margaret Elaine Hamilton who was born in Paoli in 1936.

Hamilton is an American computer scientist, systems engineer, and business owner. She was director of the Software Engineering Division of the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, which developed on-board flight software for NASA's Apollo program. She later founded two software companies—Higher Order Software in 1976 and Hamilton Technologies in 1986, both in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2016, Hamilton received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from president Barack Obama for her work leading to the development of on-board flight software for NASA's Apollo Moon missions.

Watch for a new mini display at the Museum celebrating Hamilton.

Margaret Elaine Hamilton is an American computer scientist, systems engineer, and business owner. She was director of the Software Engineering Division of the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, which developed on-board flight software for NASA's Apollo program.