True Story! The 1998-1999 Mars Climate Orbiter mission was declared a total loss in 1999 as there was a unit conversion mismatch error between Lockheed Martin and NASA. The mismatch was in the thruster force units. NASA used the SI system which called for Newton-Seconds (4.45 times as large) of thrust and Lockheed Martin used Pound-Force Seconds. Calculations placed the Orbiter at 68 miles from the surface as it went into orbit, but it was within 57 km of the surface after the breaking maneuver. Any distance from the surface less than 50 miles would have caused the Orbiter to crash. a. What was the actual distance of the Orbiter from the surface in miles? b. In percentage, how far off from the calculated 68 miles was the Orbiter?
True Story! The 1998-1999 Mars Climate Orbiter mission was declared a total loss in 1999 as there was a unit conversion mismatch error between Lockheed Martin and NASA. The mismatch was in the thruster force units. NASA used the SI system which called for Newton-Seconds (4.45 times as large) of thrust and Lockheed Martin used Pound-Force Seconds. Calculations placed the Orbiter at 68 miles from the surface as it went into orbit, but it was within 57 km of the surface after the breaking maneuver. Any distance from the surface less than 50 miles would have caused the Orbiter to crash. a. What was the actual distance of the Orbiter from the surface in miles? b. In percentage, how far off from the calculated 68 miles was the Orbiter?
International Edition---engineering Mechanics: Statics, 4th Edition
4th Edition
ISBN:9781305501607
Author:Andrew Pytel And Jaan Kiusalaas
Publisher:Andrew Pytel And Jaan Kiusalaas
Chapter1: Introduction To Statics
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1.12P: A differential equation encountered in the vibration of beams is d4ydx4=2D where x = distance...
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True Story! The 1998-1999 Mars Climate Orbiter mission was declared a total loss in
1999 as there was a unit conversion mismatch error between Lockheed Martin and NASA. The
mismatch was in the thruster force units. NASA used the SI system which called for
Newton-Seconds (4.45 times as large) of thrust and Lockheed Martin used Pound-Force Seconds.
Calculations placed the Orbiter at 68 miles from the surface as it went into orbit, but it was
within 57 km of the surface after the breaking maneuver. Any distance from the surface less
than 50 miles would have caused the Orbiter to crash.
a. What was the actual distance of the Orbiter from the surface in miles?
b. In percentage, how far off from the calculated 68 miles was the Orbiter?
1999 as there was a unit conversion mismatch error between Lockheed Martin and NASA. The
mismatch was in the thruster force units. NASA used the SI system which called for
Newton-Seconds (4.45 times as large) of thrust and Lockheed Martin used Pound-Force Seconds.
Calculations placed the Orbiter at 68 miles from the surface as it went into orbit, but it was
within 57 km of the surface after the breaking maneuver. Any distance from the surface less
than 50 miles would have caused the Orbiter to crash.
a. What was the actual distance of the Orbiter from the surface in miles?
b. In percentage, how far off from the calculated 68 miles was the Orbiter?
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