# Margaret Hamilton Dies at 90

> Margaret Hamilton, Apollo software pioneer, dies at 90 after shaping lunar missions.
- Title: Margaret Hamilton Dies at 90 | Shortify
- Summary: Margaret Hamilton, Apollo software pioneer, dies at 90 after shaping lunar missions. Margaret Hamilton, who led NASA's Apollo software team, died at 90 after…
- Keywords: margaret hamilton, apollo program, software engineering, nasa, mit, presidential medal of freedom, lunar landing, defensive programming, command and service module, lunar module, technology, startups
- Source: MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology — https://news.mit.edu/2026/margaret-hamilton-computing-pioneer-dies-1007
- Published: 2026-10-07T20:55:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: margaret hamilton, apollo program, software engineering, nasa, mit, presidential medal of freedom, lunar landing, defensive programming, command and service module, lunar module, technology, startups
## Margaret Hamilton dies
Margaret Hamilton, a computing pioneer who led software development for NASA's Apollo program, died on Sep. 30 at age 90.
## Apollo software pioneer
Hamilton helped establish software engineering as a dedicated discipline with over 130 publications.
## MIT career
Hamilton worked at MIT from 1959 until the mid-1970s, after which she became a successful computing entrepreneur.
## Apollo program role
Hamilton led the software engineering team for NASA's Apollo program, including the Lunar Module and Command and Service Module.
## Presidential Medal
Hamilton received the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.
## Apollo 11 success
Hamilton's priority-driven software enabled Apollo 11 to land on the moon despite a critical computer error.
## Defensive programming
Hamilton created defensive programming techniques to prevent errors like the Apollo 8 P01 launch incident.
## Lunar landing
Hamilton's software engineering team worked on Apollo missions from 1961 to 1970, including the moon landing.
## Software legacy
Hamilton founded two software companies, Higher Order Software in 1976 and Hamilton Technologies in 1986.
## Awards and recognition
Hamilton received the NASA Exceptional Space Act Award in 2003 and induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2022.
## Lego tribute
In 2017, Lego released a Women of NASA set featuring Hamilton as an official minifigure.
## Family and legacy
Hamilton is survived by her daughter Lauren, son-in-law Richard Selesnick, two grandsons, and four great grandchildren.
## Memorial service
A memorial service for Hamilton will take place in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the spring.
## Software engineering impact
Hamilton's work established software engineering as a discipline, prioritizing error prevention and defensive programming.
## Final legacy
Hamilton's software engineering legacy continues through NASA, MIT, and the global software industry.
## Key takeaway

Margaret Hamilton, who led NASA's Apollo software team, died at 90 after pioneering software engineering.