> If it is spinning extremely rapidly, the gyroscope remains rigidly locked in the direction it has been set, its sights fixed on...Kiev—hence the term inertial guidance systems.
This is clearly false... right?
If you translate the gyroscope, it won't be pointing at Kiev anymore, it will be pointing to the side of Kiev. The gyroscope doesn't magically point at a target, it provides a stable reference direction that the rest of the IGS can compute its deviation from, to adjust its course.
He elides the inner workings of an inertial guidance system because it's not really necessary. The point is that the gyroscope provides an absolute reference point, which seems weird in the face of relativity.
I agree, but the intro is all about how this magical gyroscope is pointing at Kiev, even making a point about how the gyro is doing it after being separated from the rest of the rocket.
Sure. It also has to be powered up and aligned to a known attitude and position within a not-too-distant past, because actual gyroscopes have friction and are not perfectly locked in space. Either the guy didn't actually know how they worked or he was pulling a prank.
This is clearly false... right?
If you translate the gyroscope, it won't be pointing at Kiev anymore, it will be pointing to the side of Kiev. The gyroscope doesn't magically point at a target, it provides a stable reference direction that the rest of the IGS can compute its deviation from, to adjust its course.