5 Measurement Conversion Mistakes That Cost Millions
History is full of expensive errors caused by simple unit conversion mix-ups. Here are the most famous ones.
Math is hard, but usually, a mistake just gets you a bad grade. In engineering, it can cost millions—or even lives.
The Mars Climate Orbiter
In 1999, NASA lost a $125 million orbiter because one team used metric units (Newtons) while another used imperial units (pound-force) for thruster data. The spacecraft disintegrated in Mars' atmosphere.
The Gimli Glider
In 1983, an Air Canada flight ran out of fuel mid-air because the ground crew calculated the fuel needed in pounds instead of kilograms (or vice versa, due to a new metric system transition). Miraculously, the pilots glided the Boeing 767 to a safe landing.
Contributing writer at MetricConv, covering measurement science, unit history, and practical conversion guides.