[amsat-bb] Re: AMSAT-NA totally metric?

[Edward R. Cole]

At 01:46 PM 1/20/2007 -0600, Wayne Estes wrote:
>
>I'm amazed to learn that NASA is still uses stone age measurements after 
>working on the INTERNATIONAL Space Station for so many years.
>
>American technology companies have used SI measurements for decades, 
>especially now that design, suppliers, manufacturing, and markets are 
>global.
>
>Good for NASA for FINALLY adopting SI measurements.  Hopefully they know 
>to use the word Celsius, not Centigrade.  ;-)
>
>Wayne Estes W9AE
>Oakland, Oregon, USA, CN83ik
>

Actually, NASA has used metric measurement for many years.  When I worked
at Goldstone in the 1970's all the tracking predicts were in km, temp in K,
newtons, etc.  Took a lot of concentration to work in that having grown up
with "english" standard.  The problem comes from the fact that NASA is not
a single entity but often encompasses many contractors, vendors, university
staff, independent technical organizations, etc.  Getting parts made in
metric from an US manufacturer can be a problem.  Then it gets integrated
into a spacecraft.

Look at the automobile, today.  You will find a mix of metric and SAE
parts...what a mess!  The mechanic needs dual tools to work on them.  I
even found this on my Toyota truck which one might assume would be ALL
metric.  Have you noticed that all autos come with dual speedometers
(mph/kph).  That resulted from Canada going metric (I suspect).

So I have no problem converting...all I do is go out and read my
speedometer :-)

Seriously, since embarking in eme (a worldwide ham community) I have
intentionally used metric measure in my communications and on my website.
I try to use celsius when speaking temperature, and time in the
day/month/year format.  I still have trouble substituting commas for
decimal points.  

So for the lunar project NASA is saying if you are participating then it
will be in metric (suppliers listen up)!  Good Move!
To bad the US Govt cannot get with it.  The way one converts (minds) is in
the education of youth!  It will take two generations to accomplish.
 
73's,
Ed - KL7UW 
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