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The Apollo 11 mission relied on technology that seems impossibly small by today’s standards. The lunar module Eagle was guided by a computer with only 4 kilobytes of RAM, less memory than the average email. On July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin used that system to pilot the Eagle to the surface of the Moon, while Michael Collins remained in orbit. The landing was confirmed with Armstrong’s calm words: “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” At NASA’s Mission Control in Houston, Flight Director Gene Kranz and his team erupted in celebration. Engineers clapped, some tossed papers into the air, while others leaned back in quiet relief. With limited tools but extraordinary precision, the United States had won the race to the Moon.