What if you Threw a Paper Airplane from the Space Station?

What if you Threw a Paper Airplane from the Space Station?
By Andy Tomaswick (https://ift.tt/GgN87Yt)

Here's a thought experiment. What would happen if you were on the International Space Station, folded up a paper airplane, and threw it from the station? According to a new paper, it would fall from orbit in just 3.5 days, but still keep aerodynamic stability until about 120 km. Then it would heat up and combust at about 90-110 km altitude. It's a fun idea, but there are actual practical uses to probe the density of the atmosphere or test thin-film space technologies.

July 8, 2025 at 07:07PM
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