Tech History Timelines & Fascinating Facts

Question: In 1981, NASA’s Space Shuttle Columbia launched into orbit - how much RAM did it use?

Answer: 1MB

That’s right—just 1 megabyte of RAM! They launched into space with a computer that had less memory than a single photo on your phone. Powered by the IBM AP-101 system, the shuttle’s brain ran at 1.2 MHz and still managed to control a 4.5-million-pound spacecraft.