FOCAL8-81 LunarLanding

This document describes the FOCAL Lunar Landing Simulation (Apollo) program (DECUS No. FOCAL8-81).

Developed by James A. Storer of Lexington High School and submitted on January 20, 1970, this program, written in FOCAL, realistically simulates an Apollo moon landing using NASA figures.

The simulation begins with the lunar module 120 miles above the moon, carrying 16,000 pounds of fuel, and traveling at a velocity of 2,600 miles per hour. Players receive radar checks every 10 seconds, providing updates on velocity, altitude, remaining fuel, and time. Based on this information, the player must decide the fuel burn rate for the next interval, with the ultimate objective being a safe landing on the moon. A notable restriction is that the program does not retain FOCAL's extended functions (such as LOG or EXP).