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Space Boomerang Toss Now On Video
Speaking of sports in space, Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has finally released the video of astronaut Takao Doi's famous boomerang toss in space.
(Space boomerang toss video aboard ISS)
The nifty first-ever space boomerangs were presented to Doi by Yasuhiro Togai, a world boomerang champion from Osaka. The boomerangs are of the type commonly referred to as "roomerangs" and were developed by designer Gary Broadbent; it is a small tri-blade boomerang intended for indoor use. Broadbent worked with Doi and Togai on the the experiment.
(Yasuhiro Togai paper space boomerangs)
I'm just glad that he didn't hit something and cause the entire space station to go down in flames.
I think it would have been cool to try it while on a space walk. Experts, however, agree that a space boomerang thrown in vacuum will not come back (see space debris and hammer/feather falling in lunar vacuum).
So, I guess space boomerang throwing will continue to be an "indoor" sport. The only example of an "outdoor" (i.e., in vacuum) space sport I can think of is lunar golf; can you think of any others (actual or sfnal)?
Read more to answer the question Does a Boomerang Work in Space?.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 5/1/2008)
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