Slashdot has reported:

Margaret Hamilton, a computing pioneer whose software helped NASA land Apollo astronauts on the moon, has died at age 90. Her work helped the United States win the 20th-century space race, and she helped establish software engineering as a dedicated discipline.

Hamilton authored more than 130 publications and worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1959 until the mid-1970s. She later became a successful computing entrepreneur and chief executive officer, remaining active in systems software through an extraordinary career. She also served as an advocate and mentor.

Her work received numerous awards and honours, including the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented by President Barack Obama. The award citation said: “Hamilton defined new forms of software engineering and helped launch an industry that would forever change human history. Her software architecture led to giant leaps for humankind, writing the code that helped America set foot on the moon.”

Olivier de Weck, the Apollo Program Professor and interim head of MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, described Hamilton as a pioneer working when software engineering was in its infancy. “To say Margaret Hamilton was a pioneer -- to say she was ahead of her time -- would be a dramatic understatement,” he said. He said she developed advanced code and led a team applying the emerging technology to one of humanity’s most complex systems.

De Weck said the Apollo program remains a testament to collaboration, ingenuity and engineering, and called Hamilton a fundamental contributor to its success. He added that the program was only the start of her work: she went on to become an entrepreneur and stayed at the forefront of systems software, while inspiring millions.

Hamilton’s software work helped make Apollo’s lunar missions possible, while her broader career helped shape software engineering and the computing industry. Her recognition included the highest civilian honour awarded by the United States.