Metric Moon

portions reprinted from NASA.gov

If you think in pounds and miles instead of kilograms and kilometers, you're in the minority. Only the United States, Liberia, and Burma still primarily use English units -- the rest of the world is metric. And now the Moon will be metric too.

NASA has decided to use metric units for all operations on the lunar surface when it returns to the Moon. The decision is a victory not only for the metric system itself, but also for the spirit of international cooperation in exploring the Moon.

NASA is considering adopting other standards for its lunar operations as well. For example, another idea that has been discussed informally by the space agencies is using the same type of internet protocols that we all use here on Earth today for communications systems developed for the Moon.

In all, this push toward standards and cooperation gives the return to the Moon a very different feel than the Cold War space race of the 1950s and '60s. This time around, competition may help motivate nations to reach for the Moon, but cooperation will help to get them there.

original article at science.nasa.gov

more discussion at NewScientist.com