Friday, February 17, 2012

5-a-side, anyone?

the photo below shows an inflated 30 foot diameter grid sphere balloon satellite, attempted for use by NASA in the 1960s.

also, the most awkward soccer match, ever.


the idea was to launch the deflated satellite, inflate in orbit and then use as a communications satellite. as the national museum of the US air force describes though, "unfortunately, the closed structure of the inflated balloon satellite was, in time, deformed and pushed out of orbit by the pressure created by the sun's radiation." oops.

fun photo, anyway!

1 comment:

Andy Callaway said...

Don't tell me - it crashed at Roswell...