Press Release

Live Event: IBM To Reunite Original Apollo 11 Mission Technicians Ahead Of 50th Anniversary

By SpaceRef Editor
July 13, 2019
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IBM (NYSE: IBM) will host a panel discussion and media event celebrating the 50(th) anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.

The Apollo 11 moon landing 50 years ago represented a giant technological and human achievement. IBM Systems served as the backbone of NASA’s effort, which involved a group of 4,000 IBM programmers, scientists, researchers, and other experts that were fully engaged before, during, and after the landing.

Moderated by Dr. John E. Kelly, IBM Executive Vice President, the panel will reunite veterans of the Apollo 11 mission to share behind-the-scenes details of what it was like to be right in the middle of the action in the lead-up to and during this historic moment in time. The panelists will also look ahead to how the future of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other technologies could help us reach new frontiers.

Following the panel, the veteran IBMers will be available for interviews.

What: Panel discussion featuring Apollo 11 Mission veterans   

When: Wednesday, July 17(th)  12:30 — 1:30 p.m. CDT  Discussion will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. CDT   

Where: Gilruth Center — Discovery Room  2101 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058

In attendance and available for interviews:

— Dr. John E. Kelly — Executive Vice President, IBM   

— Homer Ahr — former IBM computer programmer   

— Dave Proctor — former IBMer who coded the lunar descent maneuver model   

— Sadie Stanley — former IBM Radar Programmer   

— Phil Pollacia — former IBMer who managed the preflight trajectory   

— Tommy Steele — former IBMer and lead engineer on the instrument unit

To learn more about IBM’s involvement in the Apollo 11 mission, please visit newsroom.ibm.com/Apollo.

Contact   Catherine Johnsmeyer Zachary Rowe  IBM Communications Weber Shandwick for IBM  (m) 914-980-1852 (m) 847-624-1401  Catherine.Johnsmeyer@ibm.com zrowe@webershandwick.com

SpaceRef staff editor.