Mission-Critical Code: What NASA’s Power of Ten Can Teach Us
Most production code is not going to space, but reliability still matters. Ever wonder how NASA writes software that literally can’t afford to fail? The answer gets practical in "Mission-Critical Code: What NASA’s Power of Ten Can Teach Us", where Jonathan "J." Tower shows how NASA's Power of Ten can simplify everyday software design.
Session details
Ever wonder how NASA writes software that literally can’t afford to fail? Meanwhile, back on Earth, our code is held together with duct tape and //TODO comments. The stakes might be a little lower for most of us—nobody's oxygen supply depends on our latest API deployment (hopefully)—but reliability, maintainability, and simplicity still matter. Enter NASA’s Power of Ten rules: a set of software engineering principles designed to minimize complexity and maximize reliability. In this talk, we’ll explore these ten commandments of mission-critical coding, from banning recursion (gasp!) to keeping functions tiny and predictable. Along the way, we’ll discuss how these rules apply beyond space exploration—to web apps, enterprise systems, and anywhere else software keeps the lights on. Whether you're launching rockets or just trying to keep production from crashing at 2 AM, these lessons can help you write code that’s more robust, maintainable, and maybe even astronaut-approved. So strap in, and join us for a journey through the Power of Ten—no space suit required!
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Agenda facts
- Format
- Talk / Presentation
- Kind
- Conference Session
- Topic
- Software Engineering and Architecture
- Level
- Intermediate
- Time
- Oct 29, 2026, 9:15 AM
- Room
- Room C
- Duration
- 60 min
Speakers
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Jonathan "J." Tower
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Most production code is not going to space, but reliability still matters. Ever wonder how NASA writes software that literally can’t afford to fail? The answer gets practical in "Mission-Critical Code: What NASA’s Power of Ten Can Teach Us", where Jonathan "J." Tower shows how NASA's Power of Ten can simplify everyday software design. 📅 October 28–30, 2026 📍 Oakland University, Rochester, MI 🔗 https://www.mitechcon.net/sessions/mission-critical-code-what-nasa-s-power-of-ten-can-teach-us/?utm_source=partner-kit&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=mitechcon-2026&utm_content=session-mission-critical-code-what-nasa-s-power-of-ten-can-teach-us #MITechCon #SoftwareEngineering #CodeQuality #Reliability
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Most production code is not going to space, but reliability still matters. Learn how NASA's Power of Ten can simplify everyday software design. https://www.mitechcon.net/sessions/mission-critical-code-what-nasa-s-power-of-ten-can-teach-us/?utm_source=partner-kit&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=mitechcon-2026&utm_content=session-mission-critical-code-what-nasa-s-power-of-ten-can-teach-us #MITechCon #SoftwareEngineering
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Feature this MITechCon 2026 session in your newsletter or email: "Mission-Critical Code: What NASA’s Power of Ten Can Teach Us". Most production code is not going to space, but reliability still matters. Ever wonder how NASA writes software that literally can’t afford to fail? The answer gets practical in "Mission-Critical Code: What NASA’s Power of Ten Can Teach Us", where Jonathan "J." Tower shows how NASA's Power of Ten can simplify everyday software design. Format: Conference Session. Topic: Software Engineering and Architecture. Level: Intermediate. Scheduled for Oct 29, 2026, 9:15 AM in Room C. Learn more and share the session: https://www.mitechcon.net/sessions/mission-critical-code-what-nasa-s-power-of-ten-can-teach-us/?utm_source=partner-kit&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=mitechcon-2026&utm_content=session-mission-critical-code-what-nasa-s-power-of-ten-can-teach-us
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- Updated
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