Paper planes in space

[topless_mike]

Oh, those crazy Japanese are up to no good again.
they have decided to test wheather a paper plane would survive in space and make it through re-entry. (that is their plan, anyways)

Linky (http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/03/27/japan.origami.spacecraft.ap/index.html)

Must be nice to have extra money in their Federal Budget to blow on shit like this.

[Furtherman]

Man the spitball cannons!!! We'll shoot the japflaps down!!!

[cupcakelove]

Next they're doing an origami space station.

[LaBoob]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Columbia_disaster

In this case it was a small peice of foam insulation the size of a small briefcase that broke off and the entire shuttle disentegrated upon re-entry... what makes the Japanese think a peice of paper could get through? I don't get their logic.

[LaBoob]

Then again, I'm a vitamin sales rep, not a rocket scientist, and I know nothing about physics...

:bye:

[Jujubees2]

Damn, I can't get mine to fly across the room and the Japanese are going to get one into space.

http://www.10paperairplanes.com/images/901-free-paper-airplane-instructions.jpg

[Tall_James]

I hear they're also funding research into whether or not Indian Burns can be used as a treatment for cancer.

[MadMatt]

I think it's more about learning new things RE: aerodynamics and thermodynamics than it is about making a "useful" paper spaceship.

Per the article:

"A successful flight from space by an origami plane could have far-reaching implications for the design of re-entry vehicles or space probes for upper atmospheric exploration..."

So they are looking at design aspects that they can use to help model "real" upper atmospheric machines.

LSS - if a paper plane can survive such harsh treatment then a sturdier metal/ceramic/etc. plane should be able to apply the same principles and be used in practical situations.

Mike the Teacher will probably blow me out of the water on this, but that's my take on it.

[MadMatt]

I hear they're also funding research into whether or not Indian Burns can be used as a treatment for cancer.

They are called Native-American Burns now.

[Knowledged_one]

as someone who has a degree in both aerospace and mechanical engineering he is where i see problems

1. How can they launch this from space into the atmosphere, the paper plane will have no means of motion or more simply what is going to accelerate this thing? The velocity has a big thing to do with this since it would create problems with the boundary layer of the object. All things flying/or in water have a boundary layer around them. The thickness of this layer is dependent on the flow around it which can either be laminar, turbulent or transitional. So how are they going to propel this?

2. Size/shape - the object will look a lot different then what you imagine. The plane will have no sharp edges on it as most know where you have sharp corners that is the most likely area for cracks to propogate, and if this were the design the object would tear apart almost immediately when exposed to wind shear

[Sinestro]

It's a cover to launch spy satellites in space. The catch is they've designed them shaped as paper airplanes. They have the technology.

[SatCam]

they will be aluminum foil airplanes

[scottinnj]

I hear they're also funding research into whether or not Indian Burns can be used as a treatment for cancer.

They are called Native-American Burns now.

No they own casinos now. It's Mr. Burns to you sir.

Hah! A Simpsons reference out of nowhere! "Excellent!"

[sr71blackbird]

I think this idea is full of pulp

[scottinnj]

I think this idea is full of pulp

Paper pulp mixed with a bit of science fiction. Wonder what'll happen?

[keithy_19]

Paper pulp mixed with a bit of science fiction. Wonder what'll happen?

I got a feeling it will fall limp.