British Amateur Launches Paper Planes Into Space – Video

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_a4j8h7MMg&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

God speed, John Glenn

In 1962, John Glenn, strapped atop a Mercury Redstone rocket, was the first American shot into space.

Two prior astronauts had ridden the Redstone, but only on sub-orbital flights. Up and down.

I am sorry to report that I am old enough to remeber the launch. They wheeled an old black and white TV (that was all they had) into our second grade classroom and Mrs. Scanlon dutifully adjusted the rabbit ears so that we could see the live coverage from Cape Canaveral.  The countdown took all day, pretty much.

I don’t know what was more shocking that day – a man in space or a TV set in a classroom.

In any event, it seems that we are now at the end of the Man in Space program.

At least for the forseeable future.

The Obama Administration is relying on private enterprise to put people into space.

Well, maybe that is not such a bad idea.

The technology seems to be there – at least Richard Branson and others seem to think so.

And as the government cuts back on its massive expenditures on ‘man in space’, so too I think can networks cut back on their massive expendtures to cover ‘man in space’ and other such adventures.

Doing it ‘the big way’ is no longer necessary. For either.

Here’s an example of both:

Yesterday, a British amateur (very British, the whole thing), launched 200 paper planes into space – on his own- and videotaped the entire event – also on his own (OK, with the help of a few friends).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApM4BGG8r40&feature=player_embedded#[/youtube]

OK, the quality of the ‘paper planes’ probably does not equal the quality of the Mercury7 that Glenn rode into space.

But hey, the quality of the video?

Better.

And a whole lot easier and cheaper to make.