Atlas Computer Laboratory

The Atlas Computer Laboratory stands on the Harwell campus in Oxfordshire, once a leading computing site for British scientists. It opened in 1961 and closed in 1975, when its work moved to nearby laboratories. The building now houses the Atlas Centre, home to the European Space Agency’s Business Incubation Centre and the STFC’s Innovations Technology Access Centre. During its years of operation the laboratory ran the Ferranti Atlas 1, the fastest computer in the world from 1964 to 1971. Jack Howlett led the site, while early staff included wartime codebreakers A. O. L. Atkin, I. J. Good and Donald Michie. A Stromberg-Carlson SC4020 microfilm recorder produced high-quality graphics and animation, later joined by a PDP15 for interactive work. In 1971 an ICL 1906A replaced the Atlas 1, doubling computing power. Today the Atlas Centre supports space technology start-ups through ESA’s incubation programme. The STFC’s robotics team works on autonomous platforms for both space and earth use. The building also contains offices for ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications.