Build a working Apollo Guidance Computer display with a Raspberry Pi
A Calgary avionics engineer has made a full-size 3D-printed replica of the Apollo DSKY that runs real Apollo 13 software on a Raspberry Pi. The files and a 100-page build guide are free.
By Andrew Ingleton · Published
If you have a Raspberry Pi and a 3D printer, this one is a fine weekend-and-then-some project. The Raspberry Pi news site reported on 22 October 2026 that Michael Newton, a commercial aircraft avionics engineer in Calgary, leads an open-source project called Recreate Apollo, which has built a 1:1 replica of the DSKY, the display and keyboard astronauts used to talk to the Apollo Guidance Computer.
How it works
A Raspberry Pi runs Virtual AGC's emulator, yaAGC, which reproduces the original computer's timing, its word length and its 1.024MHz clock. Microcontrollers connected to the Pi over USB handle the screen and keyboard. The replica runs the Apollo 13 Command Module software.
The keyboard uses Kailh Box Navy mechanical switches, chosen for their firm actuation and click. Michael says the case is about 90% authentic; internal mounting points were moved to fit modern parts, and the keycap lettering is slightly larger than the originals for print clarity.
A "peripheral" mode, enabled by a long press on a key, lets the DSKY work over a local network with Project Apollo, NASSP, an add-on for the Orbiter space simulator.
Build it yourself
CAD models, schematics and a 100-page build guide are free on GitHub, according to the article, which does not give the exact repository address. The printed parts derive from archived MIT Instrumentation Lab and NASA drawings that community members converted into CAD during the pandemic. Michael is also working on a premium version with an aluminium body, better annunciators, possibly an electroluminescent display and a better keypad.
Why it matters for a home lab
Projects like this show what a Pi is good at: emulating old hardware faithfully on a few watts. For more Pi inspiration, see the Raspberry Pi Guide to Retro Gaming and Raspberry Pi Desktop for PC and Mac, and check what a Pi costs in late 2026 before you buy. The article does not specify which Raspberry Pi model is used.
Source: Raspberry Pi news, 22 October 2026 (Recreate the Apollo Guidance Computer).
