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Just for trivia, here are a couple of software errors that cost taxpayers millions:
Mars Global Surveyor - Bad Software patch (wrote to wrong portion of memory)
Result - complete mission loss - spacecraft blew up in orbit of Mars
Mars 98 Orbiter - Bad software units in "logging data"
Result - orbiter enters mars atmosphere and is destroyed
Deep Impact (ground test) - corrupt software load (still on the ground) - engineer failed to disable watchdog timer before "flashing" BOOT PROM
Result - removal of flight "bricked" ECU to be disassembled to get to JTAG port
Deep Impact (flight) - Bad software parameter results in exception in code BEFORE exception handler is operational.
Result - Constant CPU resets until power failure - complete mission failure.
I was part of every one of those "easy" operations, but it only took one misstep for complete mission failure.
So Maybe I am either stupid, or "overly cautious".
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