Burroughs MOD I Guidance Computer

Overview

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History

During the Mercury manned space program, the Burroughs computers, in addition to serving the guidance needs, sent 1002 bits per second of tracking data to the Mercury Control Center. There the data stream was merged with Eastern Test Range tracking data and forwarded to Goddard Space Flight Center for processing by their IBM 7094 computer complex.

A more complete historical summary of the Burroughs guidance computers with a focus on the museum’s MOD I is available for download and viewing in Adobe PDF form. This document is large and, depending upon your internet connection speed, may take significant time to download for viewing.

The MOD I version of this computer was the first in a series of computers built under contract by Burroughs Corporation as part of the WS-107A-1 Atlas ICBM program.

The computer on display at the museum is one of only four MOD I computers built by Burroughs Corporation. It was one of the earliest exhibits to be placed on display at the museum arriving in May 1965. The MOD I is one of the earliest transistorized computers built and the very first entirely transistorized guidance computer built. The guidance computers at the Cape were installed at the Guided Missile Control Facility with the radar system.

Further Resources:

Burroughs Historical Summary

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