Hello trent44,
It looks like the most common answer to your question is Assembly
language.
I found a single source on the Internet that covers the entire history
of computers in spaceflight. It mentions most of the major programs
used by programmer for the space programs. You will also see that
special program languages were created specifically for the space
program. If no language is mentioned, in a program, it is most likely
that assembly languages (there are many types) were used, because they
are among the earliest and the most basic computer languages (from the
machines point of view) and can be used for almost all applications.
C, BASIC, COBOL and other lower level languages tend to be not used in
the operation of machinery.
Gemini -
FORTRAN (For making and testing the control software)
Machine Assembly language
Apollo -
MAC (MIT Algebraic Compiler)
Skylab -
Binary, Assembly languages
Space Shuttle -
HAL/S
On the jet software I had to look quite a bit.
Boeing 747 -
Assembly languages (mentioned in the Roy Osborn search result in the
second to the last search string below; the link and cached page are
dead)
XML (Extensible markup language, for the Atmospheric Instrument
Control; a recent development)
Sources:
Computers in Spaceflight: the NASA Experience - Manned flight
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/computers/Part1.html
- I clicked on the chapter links with software in the title.
Computers in Spaceflight: the NASA Experience - Contents page
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/computers/contents.html
Apollo Mission Software
http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=ApolloComputer
NASA/GSFC: Astronomical Instrument Markup Language (Cached result; the
original link is dead)
http://216.239.39.100/search?q=cache:VYZj9a80eh0J:pioneer.gsfc.nasa.gov/public/aiml/+boeing+747+control+software+language&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
For an explanation on Assembly Language, heres Webopedias
definition:
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/assembly_language.html
Google search strings used:
nasa computer languages
nasa software languages
boeing 747 control software language
autopilot software written language
flight control 747 software language
assembly language definition
I hope this has been a most helpful answer. If you have any problem
with it, do please post a Request for Clarification and I shall
respond. Thank you. |