4. Apollo 11’s Alarming Computer Glitch (1969)
During Apollo 11’s lunar descent, the lunar module’s guidance computer triggered unexpected 1201 and 1202 alarms, indicating overloads. These were caused by the rendezvous radar transmitting unnecessary data, straining the computer’s capacity. Mission Control, recalling prior simulations, assessed the alarms as non-critical and permitted the landing to proceed. This decisive judgment ensured Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s safe touchdown on the Moon (nasa.gov).
