NASA goes metric on the moon

[the gadfly]

Original source.

When NASA returns astronauts to the Moon, the mission will be measured kilometers, not miles.

The agency has decided to use metric units for all operations on the lunar surface, according to a statement released today.

The change will standardize parts and tools. It means Russian wrenches could be used to fix an air leak in a U.S.-built habitat. It will also make communications easier, such as when determining how far to send a rover for a science project.

NASA has ostensibly used the metric system since about 1990, the statement said, but English units are still employed on some missions, and a few projects use both. NASA uses both English and metric aboard the International Space Station.

The dual strategy led to the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter robotic probe in 1999; a contractor provided thruster firing data in English units while NASA was calculating in metric.

The decision comes after a series of meetings between NASA and 13 other space agencies around the world, where metric measurements rule.

"When we made the announcement at the meeting, the reps for the other space agencies all gave a little cheer," said Jeff Volosin, strategy development lead for NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. "I think NASA has been seen as maybe a bit stubborn by other space agencies in the past, so this was important as a gesture of our willingness to be cooperative when it comes to the Moon."

Informally, the space agencies have also discussed using Internet protocols for lunar communications, the statement said.

"That way, if some smaller space agency or some private company wants to get involved in something we're doing on the Moon, they can say, 'Hey, we already know how to do internet communications,'" Volosin said. "It lowers the barrier to entry."

First, I'm surprised they haven't been totally metric since the beginning.

Second, does it scare anyone they're talking about using Internet protocols for lunar communications? I mean, I'm sure Moonbase Alpha will love getting spam for Viagra.

 

[Zhen Lin]

What, it makes perfect sense to me. They never said anything about using the internet, though, which is distinct from using internet protocols. It's entirely possible to have a network using internet protocols that isn't accessible from the general internet. Wouldn't surprise me if there some military networks fit that description.

 

[Doctor Oak]

Why America in general clings doggedly onto the Imperial system in the first place is completely beyond me. The Metric system just makes a lot more sense.

Considering the country that the system came from no longer uses it (though we still have some things left over, miles, pounds, etc - more or less everywhere else in Europe is 100% metric), it's completely boggling to me that America is so keen to cling onto it.

 

[Zhen Lin]

Ah, it's probably because American industry wasn't bombed to oblivion. Retooling for metric and all that, you know.

 

[Rayne]

Ah, it's probably because American industry wasn't bombed to oblivion. Retooling for metric and all that, you know.

That and money. It'll take a lot of time money and effort to do all that conversion
and make it industry standard. Though I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
From what I can tell, American industry is much more lackluster than it was in
the 50's and 60's allowing for easy tweaking to the system already in place.
Also as an engineering student, I'm still being taught in metric (though I'm starting
to see more and more applications using 'Imperial' standards.)

So perhaps metric in America isn't at all misplaced and in fact can work it's way into practice.
But that's just industry practice. Don't get me wrong, I really wish we used the
metric system for more applications. However, in daily life, this just isn't the case.

See, there are also the practical measurements, the bottles of soda
the tanks of gas, the highway signs, map measurements to land measurements.
[Notice how one unit of measure lead me to think of something related to it ]
Anyways, metric would take a decent long while to fully be absorbed by the
general public.

When it comes right down to it, most of the US has been educated with 'miles'
'feet' and 'pounds' since birth and it'd really be hard to adapt to a system where
there are still far to many people that don't want anything to do with metrics.
Sadly, I bet there are some people that refuse to understand metric because
it has something to do with some subject of math they'll never practically use.

Also, considering my job takes me into transportation and the like, I kinda like
using miles rater than kilometers, I just have a beter idea of how long a mile
is. [ok, so I lied, I wouldn't like everything to be converted over. ]

 

[the gadfly]

Not to mention there is one system used throughout the world that isn't metric (i.e. based on units of ten): The measurement of time. There isn't anything we can do about how many days long a year is. But 60 seconds equals one minute? 60 minutes equals one hour? 24 hours equals one day? 12 months equals a year?

I mean, the Imperial system almost makes sense in comparison.

Though I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
From what I can tell, American industry is much more lackluster than it was in
the 50's and 60's allowing for easy tweaking to the system already in place.

A more likely explanation is that international trade is increasingly important to US companies because other countries have rebuilt their economies and are now rich enough to buy American goods.

Also, considering my job takes me into transportation and the like, I kinda like using miles rater than kilometers, I just have a beter idea of how long a mile is.

A situation many people in the UK experienced when they converted from the pound-shilling-pence system to a base-10 monetary system.

Sadly, I bet there are some people that refuse to understand metric because it has something to do with some subject of math they'll never practically use.

Yet, they deal with a currency system in the US based on the metric system. 10 pennies equal a dime. 10 dimes equal a dollar. 10 dollars equal a Hamilton. 10 Hamiltons equal a Benjamin... (I'd go further, but I'm not sure what 10 Benjamins are equal to. A Cleveland? Whatever it is, I know 100 Benjamins equal one Salmon P. Chase. I think the $100K note is a Wilson. There isn't any bigger US currency.)

When it comes right down to it, most of the US has been educated with 'miles' 'feet' and 'pounds' since birth and it'd really be hard to adapt to a system where there are still far to many people that don't want anything to do with metrics.

This is where the problem lies. Schools have a mandate to teach the metric system. Scientists are comfortable with the system because that's all they've ever been taught to use. Engineers know the system. Everyone else goes by what their family and friends use.

BTW, I know this thread has gone off-topic, but since I started it, I give all posters carte blanche to take it wherever you want to go as long as there is a discernible progression from prior posts.

 

[Jeff]

$1,000 is known as a "Grand". Also, one tenth of a dollar is a dime but that's only used as the name of the coin, one tenth of a dime is a cent ("penny" is the name of the coin, not the unit), and one tenth of a cent is a mill, but mills are rarely used.

Here's something interesting related to this discussion, a couple cases of highways converting from metric measurements, I-19 in Arizona and Route 1 in Delaware. Route 1 used to use all metric on signs, but later switched distances to places to the standard system, exit numbers are still based off of kilometers though. I-19 used to use all metric (except for speed limit signs), but is now in the process of switching everything over to standard.

 

[Murgatroyd]

What, it makes perfect sense to me. They never said anything about using the internet, though, which is distinct from using internet protocols. It's entirely possible to have a network using internet protocols that isn't accessible from the general internet. Wouldn't surprise me if there some military networks fit that description.

Yep. The term "internet protocol" actually predates the use of the word "Internet" to refer to the major worldwide computer network. Back when that term was created, "internet" meant simply that it could be used to communicate between computer networks. It's a good, well-tested standard for electronic communication. It's possible to use IP over just about any communication system.

 

[XD375]

I live in Canada and don't use the Metric system.