University of Tokyo Professor Shinji Suzuki, an astronautic engineer, is working together with Japanese origami experts to create a unique aircraft to be launched in space. The goal is to create a paper airplane that can be launched from the international space station and return to Earth. Though Suzuki’s model is clearly going to be much more advanced than a standard paper airplane, it will be indeed made from paper.

“We are hoping an astronaut will throw the paper plane during a spacewalk,” Suzuki told DiscoveryChannel.ca in an exclusive interview.

Surviving re-entry will be no easy task, temperatures can be hotter than 575 degrees Fahrenheit, but Suzuki believes the small paper aircraft is well-suited for the descent.

“The origami plane is very light and would receive sufficient drag force even at very high altitudes. Since the flight velocity quickly drops at 100 km altitude, it is expected that aerodynamic heat effect is small,” Suzuki says. “Consequently, the origami plane should reach Earth’s surface without burning up.”

According to Suzuki’s calculations, the paper craft would start traveling at Mach 20 in orbit. Eventually slowing to Mach 7 as it’s pulled by gravity towards earth and descends through the upper layers of our planets atmosphere.

A special compound will incorporate silicon into the plane’s structure, and will increase its heat and water resistance. After being coated with this compound, the plane will gain glass-like characteristics, while still retaining is paper qualities. Tests conducted by the University of Tokyo, on a smaller model of the airplane, have shown it to be successful.

Though this seems like a silly idea, but it may just bring new technology that will help move us into space.

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