NASA's METRIC CONSTELLATION PROGRAM: 'NEVER MIND'

摘要

In January 2007, NASA announced that it would use metric units for operations on the lunar surface (see Metric Today, Mar-Apr 2007), and in December 2007 NASA issued a Constellation Program Management Directive titled, "Use of SI as the Primary System of Measure for the Constellation Program, Projects, Systems, and Mission" (see Metric Today, Jan-Feb 2009; the Constellation Program will provide the replacement for the Space Shuttle and is ultimately intended to land on the moon). However, the organization has reportedly changed its mind about measurement systems. On 29 May 2009 SpaceRef.com published a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory memo saying, "You've all heard the news that we're going back to English as the primary unit of measure. Attached is the draft Management Directive."