When we think about space exploration, we tend to think of astronauts, rockets, or the International Space Station. Maybe we also think about a team of experts sitting in the office of a Chinese or American space agency, breaking out into fits of joy as they successfully land a new rover on Mars. What we tend to miss is all the people who write the software that keeps the satellites orbiting and the rockets on track. Large numbers of people sift through data from satellite sensors or simulate rocket launches before they take place. They, too, are doing rocket science.…
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