I reckon..
It'll probably travel straight into the Hubble space telescope lens and render it useless.
Japanese to launch paper plane from ISS
Researchers from the University of Tokyo have hooked up with the Japan Origami Airplane Association for what is quite possibly the most splendidly pointless space experiment of all time - the development of a paper plane capable of surviving re-entry into Earth's atmosphere after launch from the International Space Station. The …
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you gotta love...
... those crazy Japanese! utterly pointless but fun!
Awesome!
I've wanted to know what would happen to a paper plane launched from orbit since I was a kid back in the 70s! I've always maintained that a paper plane would survive such a descent because it's surface area to mass ratio is too great for it to be able to sustain such high speeds. Since the atmosphere becomes progressively thinner with altitutude, the plane will have plenty of time to slow down long before it reaches the troposphere.
Most likely, it will be YEARS before the plane reaches the ground, and unless it is waterproof it probably won't survive that long anyway. Given that 70% of the Earth's surface is ocean, and vast areas of land are still only sparsely populated, the odds of anyone finding it when it does land are extremely slim. What they should do is attach one of those tiny radio tags scientists use to track bird migrations to it. Then the experiment could also provide useful information about air movements in the Earth's upper atmosphere, as well as allowing everyone to see where, and if, it does come down.
Message of peace
Written on the inside of the paper plane:
"I'll have 50% of what you get for this on ebay"
What's next?
An origami space station?
Actually, that's not a bad idea...
No-brainer.
Well, that's *this* year's IGNobel peace prize sorted out then.
Now if they could
get a paper airplane that could get into orbit I would take it a bit more seriously.
Flutter down?
Nah my paper planes were well fast.
I would have to have an asbestos nose-cone added to stop it burning up
if I make it out of photopaper it might survive water for a bit, but the print on it would come off. Epson ink just isnt as good as it used to be :)
Maybe a race with differing designs?
My Ear
Now as anyone in my office will tell you paper plane's always home in on my ear. So I'm not looking forward to a flaming paper plane traveling at Mk7 appearing in the sky's over Manchester!
I say good on them...
Western scientists are all too caught up with how important they are and how their prediction on global warming is the most important.
There will be far more interest in this than any recent space project, guaranteed.
Poke in the eye
Didn't their mothers ever tell them they could take someone's eye out with a paper plane?
Origami ISS
A space station made of paper would be excellent for the Japanese. It could withstand earthquakes.
Marvellous
Marvellous idea...it's just that now I'm going to have the Quo's "paper plane" playing in my head all day..
The Denim, ta.
Re: Poke in the Eye
At mach 7, it'd tear your head off! :D
Bird strike ...
" ... air crash investigators have determined that the engine failure was caused by a collision with a message of peace inscribed on a Japanese paper plane at 30,000 feet ..."
Seriously though, this could potentially have actual implications. There must be some use for such a lightweight, slow re-entry vehicle.
Ideal Design
There was one in the Rupert Annual around 1965 which I've always found can be tweaked for long flights (out of the classroom on the 2nd floor and over the tennis courts)
Got to agree this needs an International Competition - one slot open to the winners of "The Great Paper Plane Race" competition on the BEEB (judged by Prof Heinz Wolff natch)
And a prize for anyone finding one (trip up to ISS to lauch the next years entrants...)
Actually
Actually, this can be quite an interesting experiment. If it actually survives reentry (that is: Doesn't flash into ash), it would give some weight to the "reusable space flight vehicle" argument, especially since the current version of such a vehicle (the space shuttle) has about the same flight characteristics as a brick. A better (aerodynamically) glider may take longer to pass through the atmosphere, but have less chance of incinerating its biological cargo...
:)
//Svein
Race a few of them!
Competitors should be a big white butterfly, a long blue paper plane and a Deutche car.
Ironically, the Americans would never try this because they're too wound up with their own status quo...
Here's another idea ...
Maybe they should just empty a big box of dollar bills out of the ISS in order the "reawaken public interest in space flight" or somesuch.
@Sam - Paper Plane
Sam, I wasn't thinking that...until I read your comment! You dirtbag! ( Dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dahhhhh! Arggghhh! )
YouTube glory awaits...
...the lucky person who gets speared through the eye by a burning spaceplane.
@George Johnson
My appy polly logies.
We all make mistakes, forgive me...oh bugger, did it again!
conquest of space
Isn't... errr... like the 95% of all space missions splendily and utterly pointless? (except for comm satellites, of course)
Seriously, space missions are as useless as studying dinosaurs... or the Voyager missions... or...
* Posted anoymously: I don't want to be disturbed while I dwell in my self-induced dark ages
is this the first launch of....
International Space Stationery?
Awesome idea
Let's throw a paper aeroplane out of a SPACE STATION, just because...we can, huzzaaah!!!
Message of peace from The Firm...
"" Ah! We come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill;
we come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, men. ""
@ martin
.. Space Stationary.. bwahahah hahahaha!
Good show :D
I hope they let us vote for the message...
My money is on "ZIG"
water damage
If they make it out of the toilet paper my grandmother used to have it'll be utterly waterproof and indestructible - it should survive the trip easily.
Flames, cuz its the nearest thing to a rocket engine icon for something heading down.
Excellent experiment!
@nick...
... i thought i said Station[e]ry ...
unless you're proposing a Geo-Stationary Space Stationery Station Situation?
Can I sue the government of Japan
When their space litter puts my eye out as I walk out to the car in the AM?
now, if we could...
...just attach a motor to get it out of orbit...
More information...
..and prototype piccy here:
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080118p2a00m0na025000c.html
I like the idea of this experiment as it's a bit of a laugh. However, I wish these space people would take their eyes off the skies, look out their windows and spend their funds helping to sort out the sh1t going on on the planet's surface instead.
Blue Touchpaper
The de-orbit burn is gona be interesting LOL
@ Solving the World's problems ....
Quote from Anon Cow: " .... However, I wish these space people would take their eyes off the skies, look out their windows and spend their funds helping to sort out the sh1t going on on the planet's surface instead."
Riiight. I get you. Like solving the world's problems is soo easy, isn't it? What were we all thinking - we just need to ask the space geeks to take over. Unless you *did* mean putting a bullet through the head of most politicians and those wanting to be politicians ... or famous .... and tabloid journalists.
And people who stop in the right lane before signalling right ....
Sillier and sillier
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080123p2a00m0na023000c.html
Re: Sillier and sillier
"It's really overwhelming that a boomerang will go to space instead of me."
Maybe, but probably reassuring, if it turns out that it doesn't always come back...
Great newspaper though. Surprised El Reg hasn't followed up on:
"Transport official caught forging train passes to get cash to buy model train set"
not to mention
"Frisky judge quits after biting sex shop employee"
GPS Locator?
Couldnt' they fashion some sort of GPS chip attachment? Or transponder? Then they could track its descent....
Scented candle from space...
Just add perfume and re-entry....
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