From the International Space Station to Earth by Paper Airplane

The University of Tokyo and the Japan folded paper (origami) plane society hopes to fly a paper airlplane from the International Space Station to Earth.

No, they aren't going to fly on it, they are going to fly it, throw it. 

A University of Tokyo research group has successfully designed a special paper plane model that was able to withstand a mach 7 high velocity stream for 10 seconds. The paper plane also withstood temperatures as high as 300C without burning up.

The actual conditions for the plan from the International Space Station, 400kms from the earth, will be speeds up to mach 20. Only after entering the earth's atmosphere at an altitude of 80kms will it slow to a paltry mach 7.

The plane will be 30-40cm long and weigh about 30 grams.

The experimental plane was about one-fifth the size.

The real question, of course, is "why would we want to fly a paper plane from the ISS to Earth?"

The answer – because we can. 

Uh, no.

To prove Japan's superiority in origami?

Uh, no again. 

"The technology from paper planes could be applied in the development of new transport craft."

In the future we will all be able to fold our own planes, hop in and fly whereever we want to go.

Won't that be fun?

Chances? 

from

A Paper Airlplane from the International Space Center to Earth