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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!phoenix!brent
From: brent@phoenix.UUCP (Brent P. Callaghan)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: reentry of paper airplanes?
Message-ID: <1168@phoenix.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-May-85 14:58:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: phoenix.1168
Posted: Mon May 13 14:58:02 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 15-May-85 00:27:58 EDT
References: <1631@mordor.UUCP> <3000002@pbear.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft NJ
Lines: 29

I can imagine a couple of problems with paper airplane
reentry via an EVA hand launch:

1) Surely an encumbered astronaut couldn't impart nearly
   enough delta V to the airplane to cause it to reenter.
   Wouldn't it just fall into an orbit a few hundred
   feet lower ?  Perhaps a rubber slingshot would be more
   effective.

2) Observing yon reentering paper airplane would be next
   to impossible.  An embedded thin wire along the keel
   could be used as a dipole transponder perhaps, but
   measuring its attitude etc would be out of the question.
   We're really not up to avionics for paper airplanes yet.

I have a great idea for a skydiver/stuntman: do an EVA
in all the NASA garb.  Use the mobility unit to provide
deorbit delta V then discard.  At entry interface, before the
heat becomes too much for the suit, deploy a drogue chute and
make a prolonged, low temperature reentry.  It may take a full
orbit to keep temps within limits.  Skydive down to a few
thousand feet and deploy a ram air parachute.  
Pretty good stunt huh ????
-- 
				
Made in New Zealand -->		Brent Callaghan
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