NASA Once Lost a $193M Spacecraft Due to a Simple Math Mistake

In 1999, a metric conversion oversight resulted in NASA losing a Mars Orbiter. Guess even rocket scientists make mistakes.

[divyangvaidya]

The most cited example used against students majoring in STEM for unit errors.

[a.y.greyson]

Just learning about this in why we shouldn't use certain metrics while coding and this is still surprising after all these years.

[jmadratz]

I was working at Lockheed Martin Astrospace from 1990-1999. When I heard of the failure and the cause, I couldn’t believe it. It was inexcusable, even though understandable. Why we continued to used lbf and lbm instead of newtons and kg or even lbf and slugs is beyond comprehension.

[Notabanana.]

One little fact check: the probe was in 1998 not 1999

[DxBangD]

0:30 and there is your error. 100 miles, really?