Researchers Maximilian Berthe and Kōjirō Suzuki from the University of Tokyo in Japan have calculated the potential fate of a paper airplane if it were released into space from the International Space Station (ISS).
The study specifically modeled the atmospheric re-entry dynamics of a standard A4 sheet of white paper folded into an airplane shape. The simulation began with the same initial orbital altitude (400 kilometers) and velocity (7800 meters per second) as the ISS.
According to the computer model developed by the researchers, the paper airplane would descend to an altitude of about 120 kilometers over approximately 3.5 days without significant issues. However, as it encountered denser layers of the Earth`s atmosphere, the model predicted uncontrolled movement and structural degradation.
To further investigate the effects of high-speed air, the scientists conducted a wind tunnel test using a one-third scale model of the paper airplane. The model was exposed to a Mach 7 airflow for seven seconds. This resulted in the model`s nose bending and the tips of its wings charring. The experiment was stopped, as the researchers concluded that continued exposure would cause the paper airplane to disintegrate.
In unrelated news regarding objects on the ISS, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Zubritsky once noted that items frequently lost on the station are often found stuck to fan or filter grilles, carried there by air currents.
