Paper planes to be launched from space

Japanese scientists are going back to basics - using paper planes to help design space shuttles of the future.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have already put their small, origami planes through a heat and wind tunnel test.

The aircrafts, made from special paper, survived 250 degrees Celsius (482 F) heat and wind at seven times the speed of sound intact.

The plan is to an to launch them from the International Space Station to see if they make it back to Earth.

The theory is that, being much lighter than space shuttles, they may escape the worst of the friction and heat that much heavier crafts face on re-entry to the atmosphere.

Shinji Suzuki, a professor of aerospace engineering, said: "Paper planes are extremely light so they slow down when the air is thin and can gradually descend.

"So that's why we believe this research could give a clue as to creating a whole new design for future space shuttles."

He said the technology might one day be used for unmanned spacecraft.

Mr Suzuki estimates it will take several months for the planes to make it back to Earth, and there is no way of predicting where they could land.

"It's going to be the space version of a message in a bottle. It will be great if someone picks one up. We are thinking of writing messages on the planes saying 'if found, please contact us' in a couple of languages," he said.

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