[USMA:33406] metric usage in launch vehicle

[Hillger, Don]

In my field, meteorology, metric units are not uncommon, but I was reading a document about the launch of the next weather satellite, GOES-N, to occur next month, and was surprised to see the description as,   quote: “a Boeing Delta IV Medium Plus (4,2) Launch vehicle.  The first digit is the parenthesis refers to the diameter of the second stage in meters, and the second digit refers to the number of strap-on solid rocket motors (SRMs).” end quote.   This does not necessarily mean that the rocket was designed in metric units, although that might be true (?), only that it’s marketed metrically, I suspect for the non-U.S. market.   Don