Al Shepard would have approved

On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 20:45:08 +0000, Henry Spencer wrote:

Chuck Stewart wrote:

Give it a while and a few hundred thousand
slightly perturbed orbits

By which time it'll be in a significantly lower orbit, because it has a
much lower cross-sectional density.

Picky picky picky... alright, we can just
quietly substitute a depleted uranium ball
hidden within a regulation golf ball cover.

(Scene: the end of the stations extended
robot arm... A very surprised cosmonaut
looks down at his bent 6-iron, and then
looks at the slowly departing golf ball.)

--
Chuck Stewart
"Anime-style catgirls: Threat? Menace? Or just studying algebra?"

In message , Chuck Stewart
writes
On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 20:45:08 +0000, Henry Spencer wrote:

Chuck Stewart wrote:

Give it a while and a few hundred thousand
slightly perturbed orbits

By which time it'll be in a significantly lower orbit, because it has a
much lower cross-sectional density.

Picky picky picky... alright, we can just
quietly substitute a depleted uranium ball
hidden within a regulation golf ball cover.

(Scene: the end of the stations extended
robot arm... A very surprised cosmonaut
looks down at his bent 6-iron, and then
looks at the slowly departing golf ball.)


If you want density shouldn't you use iridium? (which will really
confuse people looking for it on Heavens Above)
I wonder what hitting a two-pound golf ball would feel like.

On Thu, 09 Mar 2006 19:54:23 +0000, Jonathan Silverlight wrote:

Chuck Stewart wrote:

On Henry Spencer wrote:

By which time it'll be in a significantly lower orbit, because it has a
much lower cross-sectional density.

Picky picky picky... alright, we can just
quietly substitute a depleted uranium ball
hidden within a regulation golf ball cover.

(Scene: the end of the stations extended
robot arm... A very surprised cosmonaut
looks down at his bent 6-iron, and then
looks at the slowly departing golf ball.)

If you want density shouldn't you use iridium? (which will really
confuse people looking for it on Heavens Above)

Yeah, but Iridium is expensive... just ask
the DoD

DU, however, is available cheaply and in
ton lots.

I wonder what hitting a two-pound golf ball would feel like.

I'd guess that even the 1.6 pound DU ball
would feel like you tried to tee off on a
golf cart. I keep expecting Henry to point
out that we've essentially reversed the
original problem... with the station now
sinking faster than the golf ball

--
Chuck Stewart
"Anime-style catgirls: Threat? Menace? Or just studying algebra?"

In message , Chuck Stewart
writes
On Thu, 09 Mar 2006 19:54:23 +0000, Jonathan Silverlight wrote:

Chuck Stewart wrote:

On Henry Spencer wrote:

By which time it'll be in a significantly lower orbit, because it has a
much lower cross-sectional density.

Picky picky picky... alright, we can just
quietly substitute a depleted uranium ball
hidden within a regulation golf ball cover.

(Scene: the end of the stations extended
robot arm... A very surprised cosmonaut
looks down at his bent 6-iron, and then
looks at the slowly departing golf ball.)

If you want density shouldn't you use iridium? (which will really
confuse people looking for it on Heavens Above)

Yeah, but Iridium is expensive... just ask
the DoD

I knew someone would say that, but is there much difference when you've
paid for getting it into orbit?

On Fri, 10 Mar 2006 20:37:40 +0000, Jonathan Silverlight wrote:

Yeah, but Iridium is expensive... just ask
the DoD

I knew someone would say that, but is there much difference when you've
paid for getting it into orbit?

Good point.

--
Chuck Stewart
"Anime-style catgirls: Threat? Menace? Or just studying algebra?"

Henry Spencer wrote:


By which time it'll be in a significantly lower orbit, because it has a
much lower cross-sectional density.



I don't know- those solar arrays would make pretty good airbrakes when
they are facing toward the direction of movement like at sunrise or sunset.

Pat