An Age of Magic

Would YOU fly in a paper plane?

A new space shuttle is set to be launched from the International Space Station – made entirely from paper. The paper aeroplane will fly 240 miles down to earth travelling at speeds of up to Mach 20 – 15,200 miles per hour. And if the 20 centimetre long origami design is successful, scientists believe it could herald the future of space travel.The paper dart has been treated to withstand the intense heat and wind speeds it will encounter as it re-enters the earth’s atmosphere. Friction with the air heats the outer surface to extreme temperatures and can have catastrophic consequences for real space shuttles. Tragically, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on its return to Earth in 2003, killing all seven crew members on board.

The much lighter origami shuttle, which researchers at the University of Tokyo, Japan, claim will come down more slowly, is not expected to burn up on re-entry despite hitting temperatures of 200 degrees Celsius. Well, despite all the assurances from the scientists involved, for now I think I will stick to a normal Boeing 747.

Popularity: 28% [?]