4 ms·
Argh. Why are knots still used? I imagine it's the same reason the USA can't go metric
by exabrial 6y ago
Argh. Why are knots still used? I imagine it's the same reason the USA can't go metric
- pcl 6y agoWell, a nautical mile is defined relative to a fundamental constant -- the circumference of the earth at the equator. This is objectively useful when at sea, and so I, for one, prefer it to either statute miles or kilometers. Here in Norway, people tend to talk about wind speed in meters per second. Happily, a knot is very close to a half a meter per second, so I'm not as lost as I'd be otherwise.
- app4soft 6y agoThere is good video about "Imperial VS. Metric" posted by 'Real Engineering' two month ago.[0] > USA can't go metric SpaceX already use[1] metric: > Despite NASA's non-compulsory policy, commercial space manufacturer SpaceX currently designs its systems (e.g. Dragon and Falcon 9) using metric units. According F9 v1.0 Users Guide it seems like SpaceX mixed SI (preferred) and US units on same vehicle.[2] FTR, On May 1st, 2016 Elon Musk said[3] next: > Historical precedent. Mars vehicle will be metric. And its proved in Starship Users Guide v1.0, posted by SpaceX on March 2020.[4] [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hid7EJkwDNk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hid7EJkwDNk [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_opposition#Government_compulsion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_opposition#Governm... [2] https://old.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/1urk4k https://old.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/1urk4k [3] https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/726878573001216000 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/726878573001216000 [4] https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf