New heroes of spaceflight: Not the astronauts but the software nerds
Software engineers are pivotal in modern space missions, surpassing astronauts in importance. They tackle complex tasks like satellite reprogramming and critical system troubleshooting, ensuring mission success. Companies like SpaceX prioritize hiring software experts for their vital contributions to space technology advancement.
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Software engineers have become the unsung heroes of the modern space industry, taking the spotlight away from astronauts. With advancements in spacecraft technology, engineers are now the problem solvers behind successful space missions. From reprogramming satellites to executing complex maneuvers mid-flight, software experts play a crucial role in ensuring the success of space missions. Companies like SpaceX highly value software engineers, often hiring them continuously to keep up with the demands of space technology. These engineers have been instrumental in saving missions, such as fixing sensor issues during moon landings and resolving onboard computer system errors. The ability to improvise and adapt quickly is a key skill for software engineers in the space industry, as demonstrated by various successful mission rescues. Despite the challenges, software engineers continue to drive innovation and success in the ever-evolving space economy.
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No Matter What They Tell You, It's a People Problem (2008)
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4 commentshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hamilton_(software_en...
Software “nerds” were the unsung heroes from the very early days of spaceflight. A good book on the involvement of software engineers during the Apollo Program is Mindell’s “Digital Apollo”.
SpaceX doesn’t value their software engineers enough. They are paid lower than top-market salaries and then put through the grinder. This is well known in the industry. Most people leave at the 5 year mark when the vesting cliff is over, if they aren’t stack-ranked out before that. Lovely work environment.
Also, when you see the mission control room in Hawthorne, during a live webcast, there are several rows of engineers overseeing the mission and only 2-3 of those are for software.
Software is for sure an important part of the picture but the bytes don’t put themselves into orbit.
Also, I resent the “nerd” name-calling.
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