Subject:
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Re: Hey you Yanks! Catch up with the "World's Mistake"
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Mon, 2 Dec 2002 21:06:35 GMT
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Viewed:
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531 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Bruce Schlickbernd writes:
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, David Koudys writes:
> > http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/books/12/02/alder.measure/index.html
> >
> > In which the metric system, and the flaws therein, is quickly discussed via
> > a book review.
> >
> > Going beyond the mistooks that the system is based on, it still is the way
> > to go!
> >
> > Hurry up you Americans and catch up with the 'civilized world'!
> >
> > ;)
> >
> > Dave K.
>
> Someone please correct me if I have this wrong, but I vaguely remember
> something about Thomas Jefferson being largely responsible for rejecting the
> metric system in this country - he had his own pet way of determing what
> should be a meter that wasn't adopted. Knowing the french and knowing
> Jefferson, I'd bet on Jefferson, but then, this may all be a figment of my
> imagination.
>
> The article is wrong (or at least misleading) on the subject of the Mars
> Observer. JPL uses metric measurements as its standard. The problem arose
> when the sub-contractor didn't bother to follow the directions and used the
> English measurement system and didn't tell anyone. Kaboom.
>
> It's all the fault of the english. ;-)
>
> -->Bruce<--
I thought the Mars Observer had a different problem, as in the parts were
built by different companies that didn't communicate clearly, and that the
'finished' product wasn't tested as a unit--the problem happened something
like this--
the retro rockets were suppose to fire when the landing pads connected with
the surface--the sensors to detect the surface were built into the legs and
when the legs 'bounced' on the surface, it woud trigger the rockets into firing
but what actually happened was that the initial separation of whatever heat
shield in the atmosphere, which caused the legs to 'free themselves' also
caused the legs to 'bounce' (which wasn't factored into the scenario) thus
causing the rockets to fire whilst the whole unit was still high up in the
atmosphere.
At least, this is what I remember being the issue. I could have a faulty
remembery on this--it wouldn't be the first time ;)
Dave K
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