Cosmonaut will hit a golf ball from the International Space Station

cosmonaut will hit a golf ball from the International Space Station


I can't wait to see this

Why? There is no significant scientific reason to do this. All it does is add to the amount of garbage up there already as well as the possibility of damaging the space station with an errant hit. Stupidness. Anything for money I guess

[edit on 12-3-2006 by sardion2000]

Hey, they did it on the Moon, so why not on the space station? Also, the balls are going to have some sort of transponder, I believe, for tracking purposes.

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
Hey, they did it on the Moon, so why not on the space station? Also, the balls are going to have some sort of transponder, I believe, for tracking purposes.

What if he slices it into one of the solar panels?

Originally posted by sardion2000
What if he slices it into one of the solar panels?

I doubt he's taking a full drive, aside from the fact that it would be impossible in a suit. I think the balls are just being hit enough to get away from the ISS.

I clearly remember when Alan Sheppard "played some lunar golf". I would suppose that he now holds the longest drive -- ever. Of course, we don't know just how long that drive was. The ball hasn't landed yet and the Guiness Record guys are still looking for the longest tape measure.

One thing I have always given Alan Sheppard credit for; that he didn't "commercialize" that bit of golfing. If he had mentioned the name of the ball that he used, he would have probably been supplied with free golf balls for life.

I would laugh if it came back around and they all started freaking out when they saw it was headed straight back for the station. Rushing all over trying to maneuver the station out of the path of a hypersonic golf ball. Even funnier if it hit, and punched a hole straight through one of the science modules. And a bunch of mutant space ants broke free and started attacking the crew.

I for one welcome our new mutant space ant overlords...

Oh, no! Now I have to worry about being hit by a golf ball from space.

Originally posted by desert
Oh, no! Now I have to worry about being hit by a golf ball from space.

Maybe someone will start selling those caps they made to protect you from Skylab debris ?



CodexK

i'm sure he will yell fore before he hits it. it's for a commercial. and it will come back down to earth and burn up on reentry

Some fun facts:

1. The Golfball cannot slice! In a sense, you can easily get a great shot in space. Normally it's the spin on the ball that creates friction on its surface - slowing down one part of the ball. Since the ball's spinning, the over-all direction of the ball changes. In space, with no atmosphere, such slices and hooks are not possible!

2. If the Golfball actually did make it all the way back around, chances are they have nothing to worry about even if it hits the station. Since all the speeds are relative, the golfball will at max hit the station at the same speed it was hit off it. Thus it does not go hypersonic in space - nothing does - it's just that relatively those other objects were moving at very different speeds and directions than some other objects (like us) that are up there

3. The only more male idea in the history of the universe than this is "Why don't we go up to the moon and drive around?"

Now now we dont want to upset the new overlords.

Mutant space ants have feelings, too.

Originally posted by Yarium
3. The only more male idea in the history of the universe than this is "Why don't we go up to the moon and drive around?"

Now now... The reason for the Lunar Rover was to expand the traversible area. By foot they couldn't go far from the lander, but by rover they area they could cover increased exponentially.

All hail our new ant overlords.

"One thing is for certain: there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords." - Kent Brockman

Looks like this Cosmonaut will have the longest drive ever for sure, this ball is going to orbit the earth what ever 90 mintues its up there after he hits it?

What happens if this golfball dents some warmongering alien's brand new spaceship (with alloys and chrome rimming). and in response said alien decides to wipe out humanity?

Maybe they shd programme the machine FORE!!!! incase there is any intelligent life up there. gonna be hard to hit tho with the bumpy ground n all

A golf ball with a weight of about 1.6 ounces which could be traveling at 7.7 kilometers a second.

I would imagine that could do a pretty nasty job on just about any spaceship. when you consider your average rifle bullet only travel a few thousands feet per second