Apollo 11's 4th Crew Member: A Ground-Breaking, 70 Pound Computer
The Apollo 11 crew consisted of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, but there was a crucial "fourth crew member" on board: the Apollo Guidance Computer.
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The Apollo 11 crew consisted of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, but there was a crucial "fourth crew member" on board: the Apollo Guidance Computer.
Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin launched from Kennedy Space Center on July 16, 1969 with a mission to land on the moon.
NASA's Apollo space program was dedicated to putting American astronauts on the moon.
For years, NASA has been creating technology for space that ends up enhancing our everyday lives.
Fortunately, for Apollo 11 and all of mankind, a young, brilliant MIT software engineer saw a potentially mission-crippling error coming from nearly a million miles away.
Growing up in rural Georgia, Lewis Wooten felt light years away from the long, illustrious career he has built at NASA.
On July 20, 1969, Commander Neil Armstrong announced to NASA mission control, "the Eagle has landed."
During the Cold War, one battlefront between the USA and USSR was in the sky, as the nations fought to be first to space.
The Apollo 11 mission culminated on July 20, 1969 when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became lunar pioneers.
NASA's longest-running rover on Mars, Opportunity, has been pronounced dead, 15 years after it landed on the red planet.
NASA released an infrared animation Thursday of the polar vortex that put Minnesota and much of the upper Midwest in a historic deep freeze this week -- and it looks as insidious as it felt.
The center in Huntsville has nearly 6,000 civil service and contract employees and an annual budget of about $2.8 billion.
Scientists have long believed that water ice could exist in the ever-dark recesses at the moon's poles and that belief has finally been confirmed in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Aug. 20.
A NASA spacecraft zoomed toward the sun Sunday on an unprecedented quest to get closer to our star than anything ever sent before.
NASA's Parker Solar Probe will be the first spacecraft to "touch" the sun, hurtling through the sizzling solar atmosphere and coming within just 3.8 million miles (6 million kilometers) of the surface.
Controllers expect it will be several more days before there's enough sunlight to recharge Opportunity's battery through its solar panels.
A woman is suing NASA over a gift she claims was given to her by the first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong.
New Mars discoveries are advancing the case for possible life on the red planet, past or even present.
When NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba was out doing a spacewalk during a recent trip to the International Space Station, he held on tight. That's because Acaba is afraid of heights.
It likely won't get any easier for the seventh planet in our solar system as a new report has confirmed that Uranus does actually stink like bad gas.
An asteroid came alarmingly close to striking the Earth on April 15, just hours after the large space rock was spotted flying through the solar system.
On Thursday, the country's newest high-definition weather satellite, GOES-S, launched from the Kennedy Space Center.
NASA's Cassini spacecraft disintegrated in the skies above Saturn early Friday in a final, fateful blaze of cosmic glory, following a remarkable journey of 20 years.
After a 20-year voyage, NASA's Cassini spacecraft is poised to dive into Saturn this week to become forever one with the exquisite planet.
A 28-year-old man previously convicted of sexual assault in Minnesota has been federally charged with kidnapping a 15-year-old girl in 2017 and kidnapping a woman earlier this year, according to court documents filed Thursday.
According to the Burnsville Fire Department, crews arrived at the Willoway Apartments around 1:20 a.m. They found a fire on the third floor of the apartment building.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
In July 2019, Minnesota state officials spotted early signs of fraud that would eventually siphon away more than $1 billion in taxpayer money, sources told CBS News.
A 28-year-old man previously convicted of sexual assault in Minnesota has been federally charged with kidnapping a 15-year-old girl in 2017 and kidnapping a woman earlier this year, according to court documents filed Thursday.
According to the Burnsville Fire Department, crews arrived at the Willoway Apartments around 1:20 a.m. They found a fire on the third floor of the apartment building.
Police said this is the city's 13th homicide of the year.
CrowBar also includes pieces salvaged from restaurants and bars long gone, including doors from the iconic Palmer's Bar.
Hola Arepa in Minneapolis was heading into dinner rush Wednesday night, when two plain-clothed individuals entered the restaurant, saying they're from the Department of Homeland Security.
Out of the 1,500 men on his ship, Del Thielke was the only one selected to be aboard the USS Missouri when the peace treaty was signed.
The owner of the historic Lutsen Resort on Minnesota's North Shore has been charged with arson and insurance fraud more than a year after a fire destroyed the resort's lodge.
Minnesota will see a higher-than-expected surplus for this current budget, but is expected to see a deficit in the future due to spending outpacing revenues, according to state budget experts.
Police in Duluth, Minnesota, say a mountain lion has been spotted in the city recently.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
River Falls hosts St. John's this weekend in round three of the NCAA tournament.
Bodycam video captured a sheriff's deputy in Racine County, Wisconsin, saving the life of a little girl from a house fire that killed her mother and the family dog earlier this week.
A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to take a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of an immigrant rights group.
A Democrat who served four years as Wisconsin's lieutenant governor and narrowly lost a 2022 U.S. Senate bid is running for governor in the battleground state.
Organizers at Mt. Telemark Village in Cable say there's no shortage of reasons to head north.
Firefighters are continuing a 44-year tradition that happens every year north of the Twin Cities.
It was a scary moment in the Twin Cities over the weekend, as a trailer hauling sled dogs turned over on Interstate 494 in Minnetonka.
On Sunday, members of Minnesota's Somali community spoke out against President Trump's social media post calling for an end to temporary protected status.
Two hundred Thanksgiving meals were distributed to this community by Second Harvest Heartland and the Thielen Foundation.
A Minnesota nonprofit is getting a major boost this week as dozens of college students spend their morning sorting donated shoes to support families in need.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
In July 2019, Minnesota state officials spotted early signs of fraud that would eventually siphon away more than $1 billion in taxpayer money, sources told CBS News.
Minneapolis City Council leaders are set to roll out what they’re calling a “people-centred budget."
Minnesota's state budget could go from boom to bust. A new forecast shows a $2.5 billion surplus for the current budget but a $3 billion deficit in the next one. WCCO's Caroline Cummings explains the drop and how it could impact you.
Inspire Change Clinic opened its doors in Minneapolis with a simple mission: provide access to marginalized communities. On Thursday afternoon, the clinic should have been bustling with a waiting room filled with families. Instead, the clinic was empty.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
When we do winter weather stories, there's always that one line people use: cold, snow, ice — it's just what happens here. And this week, Ticket King president Michael Nowakowski said that same idea kind of applies to Minnesota Vikings ticket prices.
Thanksgiving is a big day for the farmers who raise the centerpiece of Americans' dinner tables on the last Thursday of November. But in Minnesota, the nation's top turkey producer, the work doesn't stop once the national holiday ends.
A family-owned Linden Hills bar and restaurant is closing its doors for Thanksgiving, but opening the kitchen for those who need it most.
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Sentyrz Liquor & Supermarket turned into holiday headquarters for last-minute shoppers.
A 28-year-old man previously convicted of sexual assault in Minnesota has been federally charged with kidnapping a 15-year-old girl in 2017 and kidnapping a woman earlier this year, according to court documents filed Thursday.
A man who law enforcement say was armed with a large knife when a deputy shot him in Monticello, Minnesota, now faces charges.
Police said this is the city's 13th homicide of the year.
The special edition locket was inspired by the James Bond film "Octopussy," which revolves around a plot to steal a rare Faberge egg.
A former Minneapolis elementary school teacher was sentenced to 10 years for possessing child sexual abuse material and soliciting a minor to engage in sexual conduct.
Inspire Change Clinic opened its doors in Minneapolis with a simple mission: provide access to marginalized communities. On Thursday afternoon, the clinic should have been bustling with a waiting room filled with families. Instead, the clinic was empty.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Cases always rise in colder months, with the use of furnaces and people working on gas motors in closed garages.
A jury has awarded an Iowa woman a $19.8 million verdict against the Mayo Clinic and a colorectal surgeon in a lawsuit brought in Minnesota courts, according to her attorneys.
ByHeart said it can't rule out that all of its baby formula across all product lots could be contaminated, citing recent test results.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Netflix on Friday said it will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
The yellow childhood home of the Purple One is abandoned and in need of some TLC, despite the City of Minneapolis recently granting it landmark status.
Legendary rock 'n roll band Guns N' Roses is hitting the road again next year and will make a stop in Shakopee, Minnesota.
Jimmy Cliff, who famously sang about the "many rivers" we all must cross, has died after suffering a seizure and pneumonia, his family say.
River Falls hosts St. John's this weekend in round three of the NCAA tournament.
Julius Randle had 28 points and nine rebounds, carrying Minnesota on a quiet night from Anthony Edwards, and the Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 125-116 on Thursday night.
J.J. McCarthy has returned to the lineup for the Minnesota Vikings, refreshed after an injury absence to resume his much-delayed development with a better perspective on how to handle this most difficult job.
A White Bear Lake Native, Bill Butters lived a hockey life through and through – playing for coach Herb Brooks at the University of Minnesota before embarking on a pro career throughout most of the 1970s with the Minnesota Fighting Saints and the Minnesota North Stars.
Cade Tyson had 17 points and eight rebounds to help Minnesota upset No. 22 Indiana 73-64 on Wednesday in the Big Ten debut for both head coaches, the Gophers' Niko Medved and the Hoosiers' Darian DeVries.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child in this year can start applying to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Matt Varilek, the commissioner of the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development about the program's rollout and who qualifies for the program.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Minnesota lawmakers and small businesses are scrambling to get a piece of new federal legislation overturned that they say would eliminate Minnesota's hemp industry.
A new federal law threatens the hemp industry that Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar says provides 2,700 Minnesota jobs and has generated $16 million in taxes for the state through nine months in 2025.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
With the holidays fast approaching, and lutefisk on the menu for many families, one Minnesota town has the distinction of being called the "Lutefisk Capital of the Country."
How would you like to own a former Cold War missile site? In Dakota County, Minnesota, there's a one-of-a-kind property that could be yours for the right price.
It's a photograph found in homes across the country, and even overseas. The picture "Grace" shows a man bowing his head in prayer with food and what appears to be a Bible in front of him.
Fall harvest means barns across the Midwest are a busy place — but for a central Minnesota woman, they aren't just farm buildings, they're works of art.
It is the food that is top of mind right now, but did you know more turkeys come from Minnesota than anywhere else in the country?
Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnehaha, Minnetonka, Minnewaska, Minneota. Those are just some of the place names in "the Land of 10,000 Lakes" featuring "minne" as the first five letters.
As we approach Thanksgiving, we wanted to do a deep dive into gratefulness, and why it makes us feel better.
Many commuters know the Interstate 394 and Interstate 94 interchange seems to back up almost every afternoon. And you face the choice: should you wait in the back of the line or try to get closer and swoop in?
According to the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association, 50% of their farms open before Thanksgiving, which used to be unheard of.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
Some models are showing another clipper into tomorrow night, but most of the snow stays south of the Twin Cities, WCCO meteorologist Adam Del Rosso reports.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Another Arctic high slides in Saturday, dropping temps again for the weekend, WCCO meteorologist Adam Del Rosso reports.
A weak clipper could bring around an inch of snow to the metro and southern part of the state in the morning and afternoon.
The weak clipper could bring around an inch of snow to the metro and southern part of the state in the morning and afternoon. The sytsem should move out by dusk.
Dorothy Nins, CEO and creative director of the Minnesota Black Authors Expo, and author W.D. Foster Graham explain.
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, with members appointed by RFK Jr., voted to change longstanding recommendations on the hepatitis B vaccine.
Abdimahat Bille Mohamed, 28, was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with kidnapping a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
WCCO's John Lauritsen headed out to find those who are enjoying the fresh snowfall.
Some models are showing another clipper into tomorrow night, but most of the snow stays south of the Twin Cities, WCCO meteorologist Adam Del Rosso reports.