The Woman in the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Helped Fly the First Astronauts to the Moon

by Richard Maurer

Overview

A stunning and intimate biography of Margaret Hamilton, the computer engineer who helped Apollo 11 and mankind get from the Earth to the moon.

First-hand accounts, exclusive interviews with the legendary Margaret Hamilton, and detailed science populate the pages of this remarkable biography.

In 1969, mankind successfully left our atmosphere and landed on the moon. It took countless hours of calculations, training, wonder, and sacrifice from all of the men and women who worked hard to make that landing. One of those people was Margaret Hamilton.

A young computer engineer, Hamilton was hired to develop the completely new software used in the groundbreaking Apollo Space Program. Soon she became the lead engineer, one of the few women in the almost entirely male-dominated profession. But it wasn't always easy.

In The Woman in the Moon, science-writer and journalist Richard Maurer (Destination Moon, 2019) dives deep into the backstory of this extraordinary woman. With first-hand interviews and access to primary sources, this striking biography perfectly captures the exciting atmosphere of the Space Race and the inspiring figure of Margaret Hamilton.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250362667
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	03/18/2025
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Richard Maurer is a freelance science writer, exhibit developer, and children’s book author. His book Destination Moon was named a 2019 Editor's Choice Best Book of the Year by Booklist. In a starred review, Kirkus reviews called it, "Inspiring, fascinating, and, like the millions of parts that had to function for the space program to succeed, practically perfect." Maurer is from Texas and currently resides in Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

01/30/2023

“After the moon landings... practically no one knew about the computer and software engineers who had played such a crucial role” writes Maurer (Destination Moon) in this corrective work—a biography of mathematician Margaret Hamilton (b. 1936), who led the team that coded automated functions into the “guidance and control system that would tell the astronauts where they were.” Three sections span Hamilton’s Michigan upbringing, schooling, and marriage; her being hired by MIT to help code the “revolutionary machine that would conduct astronauts to the Moon and back”; and her later involvement with the Apollo program and beyond. Throughout, the book outlines her pivotal role in naming and legitimizing the field of software engineering while opening the door for women in STEM fields. Occasional interstitials (“Katherine Johnson,” “Ada, Countess of Lovelace”) contextualize aspects of Hamilton’s life, and photographs and pop culture references elaborate on the era for contemporary readers. Detailing the beginnings of software engineering, the ins and outs of the Apollo missions, and the social arc away from the “men only” establishment, this straightforward read credits a female pioneer whose work brought a concept to life. Ages 10–14. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

An NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students

"In 1969, men walked on the moon. But it was a woman, Margaret Hamilton, who put them there. A brilliant mathematician who coined the term, ‘software engineering,’ she led the Apollo 11 onboard flight software team into space—and history.” - Bonnie Garmus, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

"An appealing biography of a quietly trailblazing engineer." - Kirkus Reviews

"Detailing the beginnings of software engineering, the ins and outs of the Apollo missions, and the social arc away from the 'men only' establishment, this read credits a female pioneer whose work brought a concept to life." - Publishers Weekly

"A deserved spotlight on Margaret Hamilton and valuable addition to books about the space program." - Horn Book Magazine

"Fascinating and engaging...Maurer manages to make even the most complicated subjects accessible." - BCCB

"Maurer’s detailed approach to Hamilton’s life will interest readers intrigued by underrepresented women in STEM." - Booklist

From the Publisher

2023-01-12
An accessible biography of Margaret Hamilton, who had a leadership role in writing the software that would send astronauts to the moon—and bring them back.

A prologue sets up President John F. Kennedy’s goal of landing a man on the moon and MIT’s Instrumentation Lab’s role in developing the Apollo Guidance Computer; Margaret was the only woman in the room during a pivotal meeting between skeptical astronauts and the MIT team, who promised to achieve this goal within a few years. Hamilton’s story, intertwined with the Apollo missions, is then set out in a linear fashion: childhood, adolescence, college, and marriage; her path to becoming a key player in writing the software for the AGC; and multiple Apollo missions and her career after the Apollo program ended. Hamilton’s task was not just to write code, but to persuade the astronauts to trust the digital autopilot feature; she accomplished both and declared the moon landing a highlight of her life. Technical language and terms are explained simply, and captioned photographs and sidebar content are included generously throughout. These valuable elements—such as a photo of Hamilton in a command module simulator and information about Ada Lovelace and Katherine Johnson—make the book inviting and approachable. The book presents Hamilton as not having focused or dwelled on any gender-based discrimination she faced and does not look at how she was able to succeed despite it.

An appealing biography of a quietly trailblazing engineer. (timeline, notes, references, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews