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NASA Builds Worlds Largest Paper Airplane

An anonymous reader writes "NASA has designed and built the world's biggest paper airplane. The 98-foot, $1.2 billion bird isn't a mere museum piece or just for show. It's code name the "Flying Squirrel" for some odd reason doesn't seem to fit as the engineering drawings suggest a more shuttle like heritage. Here is the original article."

25 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. But... by GillBates0 · · Score: 3, Funny

    does it run Lunix?

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    An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
  2. Subscriber by Skalizar · · Score: 1

    Now I wish I was a subscriber so I could see these before the rest of the unwashed masses.

  3. 1st Post by cybercobra · · Score: 1

    Wow, I wonder how many people actually bothered to find this version of the page you can actually comment on...
    In other news, Python 3000 was released today.

  4. Nothing for you to see here. Please move along? by bird603568 · · Score: 1

    NO I want to see the 98 foot long paper airplane. I want to see where the taxpayers money is going... O wait this is like slashdots 30th April fool article. Nevermind

  5. not a lot by datafr0g · · Score: 1

    "Nothing for you to see here. Please move along." Shouldn't that be written in bold on the front page?

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    "Who says nothing is impossible? Some people do it every day!" - Alfred E. Neuman
  6. Surrender by m50d · · Score: 1

    OK, I give up. They're coming too fast. Just let me have my first post. Please? Heck, it's now april the *second* where I live.

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    I am trolling
  7. Oh FFS by Tony+Hoyle · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Someone take the slashdot editors away and shoot them.

    This ceased to be funny 12 hours ago. It's april 2nd now and they're still at it.

    1. Re:Oh FFS by Lisandro · · Score: 1

      "Nothing for you to see here. Please move along."

      For a few seconds there, i was in heaven.

  8. oh, man by roman_mir · · Score: 4, Funny

    we are never gonna get laid, are we?

  9. So, I Married an Axe Murderer by Valiss · · Score: 1

    "Man gives birth a baby. That's a fact."

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    -Valiss
  10. Just hang in there! by reality-bytes · · Score: 1



    Only another 5 hours to go before it becomes April 2nd by Slashdot time (unless they decide to change timezones as the ultimate April-fool) ;-)

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    Ripping an new rectum in the fabric of spacetime.
  11. Chill! by Twisted+Grind · · Score: 1

    Let those of us who enjoy crude humor be and quit posting comments about the banality of April 1st if you don't like them! If you're sick and tired of it...STOP READING! Go outside! Get a job/start doing some actual work at your job! Meet people! Or hell, just read another website for 5 more hours if it offends you so much. I swear, some of you sound like someone just sh*t in your umbilical cord...

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    You know you've lost it when you begin signing physical documents with =^_^=
    1. Re:Chill! by TractorBarry · · Score: 1

      > Go outside! Get a job/start doing some actual work at your job! Meet people

      You heartless bastard...

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    2. Re:Chill! by Twisted+Grind · · Score: 1

      Ok...I'll concede that that made me laugh harder than any of the posts I've seen today ^_^

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      You know you've lost it when you begin signing physical documents with =^_^=
  12. CmdrTaco by SoNiCfReAk · · Score: 1

    Please stop it! April fools is over now, it is after 12PM.

  13. Hey, Rocky! by artifex2004 · · Score: 1

    Watch me pull a ./ article out of my hat!

  14. Amazing by dfjghsk · · Score: 1
    This is such an incrediable engineering effort. It's quite amazing what NASA can accomplish when they aren't tied to the designs of yesterday (like the Shuttle).

    The Shuttle has done nothing but hold NASA back. They should ditch the things in the ocean and spend more money on this new "Paper" technology. Just imagine what we could accomplish then!

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  15. Metric Conversion by Thakandar2 · · Score: 1

    Unfortunaly, one side is much longer than the other due to the engineer's inability to convert to and from metric. This problem, experienced by many of the engineers' children as well, continues to plague even the best paper airplane engineers.

  16. Ujk by BigBadBus · · Score: 1
    For CHRIST'S SAKE, WHY, every year, do we have this glut of April Fools Messages? Just about every single story on the main page is a hoax. Its like overkill for GOD'S SAKE.

    GET A FRIGGIN' LIFE AND STOP POSTING THIS SHIT!

  17. I submited this last week and was rejected by bxbaser · · Score: 1

    Mybe my links where wrong who knows (sigh).

  18. How will they launch it? by uncoveror · · Score: 1

    If they use a rocket, it will be a short-lived fireball. If they use the X-4000 Launch Aparatus, it will be the world's largest paper wad. Maybe they should take it to the top of a hill, and just give it a push.

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    The Uncoveror: It's the real news.
  19. The problem is by snuf23 · · Score: 1

    It's only capable of delivering payloads to LOW Earth orbit.
    When is NASA going to give us a viable delivery mechanism!

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    Sometimes my arms bend back.
  20. Smells like the work of the British Library. by TigerPlish · · Score: 1

    Be on the lookout for a female, about five foot five, about 120 pounds, generous bust, sapphire blue eyes and long, flowing black hair, square geek glasses. Dresses primarily like a bag lady, long skirt, shabby blouse, shabby light tan overcoat. May be towing a big pilot's briefcase on a dolly.

    Usually found in or around bookstores, the rarer, the better.

    Answers to "Yomiko" or "The Paper."

    Be advised, subject can use paper as weapons. I suggest you leave all your cash and business cards at home, papercuts are one nasty way to die.

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    The "Civilized World" jumped the shark ca. 1973.
  21. HILARIOUS by SnakeEater251 · · Score: 1

    I started laughing when I read the title... I guess it's just me... :-)

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    -FB
  22. Action photo! by deblau · · Score: 1

    NASA and the Royal British Library's Division of Special Operations have teamed up on this one. Here is a pic of two Spec Ops agents tracking down a would-be terrorist on the new airplane.

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    This post expresses my opinion, not that of my employer. And yes, IAAL.