Margaret Hamilton, a pioneering computer scientist whose software helped guide the Apollo moon missions, has died at age 90, according to MIT. MIT says she died on 30 September. Hamilton led the software development effort that supported the landing and helped ensure the mission computers could perform critical guidance and control tasks.

Across outlets, Hamilton is described as one of the earliest major figures in modern software engineering. The New York Times reports she was the first female programmer hired for the space project at MIT, highlighting the barriers she faced during the era’s limited opportunities for women in computing. MIT News adds that over roughly two decades at the institute, Hamilton helped establish new approaches in software and engineering for spaceflight. Multiple sources also note that her work was later recognized with major honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.