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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site mnetor.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utcs!mnetor!fred
From: fred@mnetor.UUCP (Fred Williams)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: reentry of paper airplanes?
Message-ID: <581@mnetor.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-May-85 10:33:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: mnetor.581
Posted: Mon May 13 10:33:11 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 13-May-85 12:14:22 EDT
References: <1631@mordor.UUCP> <3000002@pbear.UUCP>
Reply-To: fred@mnetor.UUCP (Fred Williams)
Organization: Computer X (CANADA) Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lines: 31
Summary: 

In article <3000002@pbear.UUCP> peterb@pbear.UUCP writes:
>
>
>
>Dick,
>
>I'm sorry, I should have stated that when someone was on an EVA, take
>the paper airplane and THROW it toward the ground and against the orbit.
>I think (don't have a simulator handy) that this would cause the paper
>airplane to leave orbit and start a reentry. As the density of the air
>increases, the paper airplane would(should) stabilze itself and slow down
>at a fast enough rate (since it's drag/weight is quite high) to prevent it
>from burning up when it hits the heavier atmosphere. The only problem
>I can see is how longit would take to reach a stabilized position.
>
>Peter Barada
>ima!pbear!peterb
>ihnp4!inmet!pbear!peterb

	From a practical standpoint, the astronaut would have to have an
awefully good arm. Depending on the orbit, the paper plane would
need a velocity of several thousand miles per hour with respect
to the spacecraft. I can't see the plane being thrown faster than
20 or 30 mph. considering that the thrower would be in a space suit.
Even if you postulate a mechanical throwing device, it would probably
destroy a paper plane, ( I think certainly, but I won't go overboard).
	So what would have to be done is go into re-entry orbit and eject
the paper plane by some means.
	NOW! *Just how do you intend to observe what happens?*

Cheers,		Fred Williams