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/sci/ - Science & Math

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2043790 No.2043790 [Reply] [Original]

The Mars Climate Orbiter was intended to enter orbit at an altitude of 140.5–150 km (460,000-500,000 ft.) above Mars. However, a navigation error caused the spacecraft to reach as low as 57 km (190,000 ft.). The spacecraft was destroyed by atmospheric stresses and friction at this low altitude.

The navigation error arose because Lockheed Martin, the contractors for the craft's thrusters, did not use SI units to express their performance!

source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Climate_Orbiter

>> No.2043819

Wowee, guys! The new millennium is right around the corner, too! I hope Y2K doesn't kill us all!

>> No.2043829

Old news is old. Still, very lulzworthy. You'd think aerospace engineers would be used to SI units.
This country really should convert; I don't see any reason not to. The conversion process would possibly create extra job capacity.

>> No.2043845

>>2043829

But the meter is changing. The materials upon which the measure are based are degrading, on top of the fact that the original meter stick was short of its purported length. Why invest in a measure that's steadily degrading?

>> No.2043860

the meter is based on on a specific wavelength of light these days.
The rod is just a museum piece.

>> No.2043863

>>2043845
>implying there's a better alternative to meters
>implying anyone with a brain doesn't use SI
>implying

>> No.2043864

>>2043845
Not suif troll.

A meter is defined as the distance travelled by light in vacuum in 1⁄299,792,458 of a seconds.

Speed of lite is constant btw.

>> No.2043870

>>2043864
but hurf!
America fuck turf!

>> No.2043874

>>2043863

>implying you can understand units based on anything but powers of 10
>implying this isn't because your brain is inferior

>> No.2043882

>>2043874
>hurf
>haaha hahaha hurf
>turf. (!)

>> No.2043896
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2043896

>>2043874

>> No.2043910

>>2043896

yeah, lemme tape your mouth shut, bitch, I'll show you what for

>> No.2043913
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2043913

The one descent things Americans ever did was bomb Tokyo.

Everything else was just terrible.

>> No.2043986

>>2043913
the one decent *thing

Sorry for the typo. I'm ashamed.

>> No.2046131

I think I know what this dog is thinkin about nao