> Of Brian J White > Sent: 29 June 2002 19:46 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:20711] Fossett's Metric Balloon Trip. Congrads! > > Check http://www.spiritoffreedom.com/ > > Full stats on the balloon trip, including everything in SI....even ISO > time > and date standards.
Nice! Although they revert to non-metric on the FAQ page: [begin quote] The balloon envelope will be the same size as it was for his previous attempt in 2001. It will contain 550,000 cubic feet of helium and 100,000 cubic feet of hot air. [...] The capsule is 7 feet long by 5 1/2 feet wide by 5 1/2 feet tall. A control station, much like an aircraft control station, provides the comfort of operating the balloon. A cabin heating system designed by faculty in Washington University's School of Engineering and Applied Science will maintain the temperature between 40 - 70 degrees Fahrenheit. [...] Q: The Bud Light Spirit of Freedom home page shows the balloon's speed and distance traveled in kilometers; how can I figure out the equivalent in miles? A: While it is customary in the United States to measure distance in statute miles, most other countries use kilometers. Nautical miles are often used for distances measured over an ocean. All these units are used in various locations on the Web site. Here is how to convert between them: 1 kilometer (km) = 0.621 statute miles or 0.540 nautical miles, 1 statute mile = 1.609 km or 0.869 nautical miles, 1 nautical mile = 1.852 km or 1.151 statute miles. Speed can be expressed in several different units. Here are some common conversions: 1 mile per hour = 1.609 km per hour or 0.869 knots, 1 km per hour = 0.621 miles per hour or 0.540 knots, 1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour, 1.151 statute miles per hour, or 1.852 km per hour; 1 meter per second = 2.236 miles per hour or 3.6 km per hour. Q: What about conversions for temperature and pressure? A: Temperature is commonly measured in degrees Celsius, although in the United States people are used to seeing degrees Fahrenheit. Here are the conversions: F = 32 + 1.8 C; C = 0.556 (F - 32). The pressure of the atmosphere can be measured in many different units, including pounds per square inch (PSI), atmospheres (atm), pascals (Pa), and millimeters of mercury (mmHg). 1 atm = 760 mmHg, 101,325 Pa, or 14.7 PSI 1 PSI = 6892.9 Pa. Q: What does UTC mean next to the date and time? A: Throughout the Bud Light Spirit of Freedom Web site you will see the date and time followed by the letters UTC. UTC means Universal Time, essentially the same as Greenwich Mean Time, the time at 0 degrees longitude. here. [...] Q: How can I send Fossett an e-mail message to wish him good luck? A: You can't send him e-mail directly; only Mission Control can do that. However, you may leave a message for him using the online Guest Book. All messages from the Guest Book will be compiled into an album and presented to Fossett after the flight. Please don't expect a reply to your Guest Book message; there are just too many of them to allow for individual replies. [end quote] -- Terry Simpson Human Factors Consultant [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.connected-systems.com Phone: +44 7850 511794
