@thelunarlogic: Ever wondered why a paper plane flies so differently in space? This experiment shows that gravity is not the only force that affects flight. Inside the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts live in microgravity, where they and everything around them are in continuous free fall while orbiting Earth. Gravity is still there—about 90% as strong as it is on Earth’s surface—but because the station and everything inside it are falling together, objects appear weightless. On Earth, a paper plane glides because gravity constantly pulls it downward while the wings create lift and air resistance slows it down. In microgravity, that balance changes. The plane no longer needs to fight its own weight in the same way, so even small aerodynamic forces become much more noticeable. Instead of making a normal glide, the paper plane pitches upward and begins a looping-like motion before slowing down. The result looks strange because the usual balance between lift, drag, and gravity no longer exists. This simple experiment is a great example of how the same object can behave very differently when the environment changes. Scientists perform experiments like this in microgravity to better understand aerodynamics, fluid motion, combustion, materials, and many other physical processes that are difficult to study on Earth. Research aboard the ISS helps improve future spacecraft, engineering, and scientific discoveries while also increasing our understanding of the laws of physics.

Gunter :

2 of the 4 forces that act on aircraft in atmosphere are not acting on a paper plane on the ISS so yes it would loop

John Pennington :

It’s making lift and there isn’t any gravity to pull it back down

. :

I mean, I’m just saying they’re breathing air so there has to be some type of air resistance

Nuka Cola :

remember kids...there is no Up or Down in space....

XxreapersquestxX :

Gravity go down plane gain lift to stay level in space no gravity so only lift

Live 4 2 DAY :

Green screen is cool…

YelloTomato :

That makes sense because there’s no gravity to pull the plane down so there’s more lift on the wings causing the air to push upwards more. Man I’m smart.

B :

its almost like there's no gravity, but still air, so it lifts up and loops, instead of falling....

HugeHabit :

The “Lift” generated on Earth keeps the paper plane parallel to the ground, as gravity continuously pulls down on it.… In space there is no, or very little, gravity to keep the paper plane from continuing to lift…

Xzackly_ :

yea because the wings provide lift and on earth it's fighting gravity, so when there's no gravity it just lifts and loops. and there is air inside the space station.

robertcross500 :

its because the is air resistants but no gravity.....

Jordan :

If it had a neutral angle of attack. Then it would go straight. But everyone makes airplanes with a positive AOA so it goes “up”. If he flipped the plane on its side it would continue the same loop laterally.

TikTok Sucks :

Christ almighty I can do that in my living room

Try :

There still oxygen creating lift

Brian Dean :

That’s because of the centrifuge right?

U.n.o.r.i.g.i.n.a.l.e.x :

Wings create lift. No gravity in space so it will keep on lifting

PhlyRoll :

Because there’s no air up there

Big C :

No gravity but there is still air the lift makes it go up

Bodziec :

MinnG :

It appears to fly Upwards, because the Space station is falling Downwards..

YIPYKYAY :

What keeps the breathable air evenly distributed in the capsule? My luck is a saturated pocket of CO2 would follow me around the cabin

Cmeza :

Literally because of gravitational pull, it’s curving to the force as it crosses time/space how is this even anything to think about? 😂😂😂😂

zendrak289 :

Maybe pushing it forward from the bottom rotates it a bit

Brandon Valenzuela :

sure bud

Porky Malone :

If it were in a vacuum, the plane would fly straight in the direction you threw it no matter its orientation.