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The Future of Space Sports

Loether writes "Space.com has a fun article about how astronauts aboard the ISS play 'sports' in zero gravity. It talks about learning how to throw in a straight line instead of the arc we all take for granted, relay races, and using large water filled bags as medicine balls. 'We realized that you could toss and catch and then go for a ride on this big thing as it takes you away.' The astronauts also put out a request for new ideas for space sports. Have any suggestions?"

20 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. Remember by glwtta · · Score: 4, Funny

    The enemy gate is down!

    --
    sic transit gloria mundi
  2. Run around the tanks? by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Jogging around the water tanks à la Skylab maybe?

  3. Play A Man's Game by BigBlueOx · · Score: 3, Funny

    Fizzbin.
    Maybe you'll be one of the few who have ever gotten a Royal Fizzbin. BTW, the odds of actually getting a Royal Fizzbin have never been computed but are known to be astronomical.

  4. Zero G Arena needed, but... by GrueMaster · · Score: 3, Funny

    While the ISS may not be the best for this, how about zero G paintball? That would kick ass. ISS is relatively confined to have much in the way of sports. Zero G Racketball could get interesting, but again, need more space.

  5. Hmmm.... by Angst+Badger · · Score: 3, Funny

    The astronauts also put out a request for new ideas for space sports. Have any suggestions?

    You mean other than the obvious one we all wonder about?

    --
    Proud member of the Weirdo-American community.
    1. Re:Hmmm.... by alan_dershowitz · · Score: 4, Funny

      Mmmmm, Street Fighter II. But how would that be different in space?

  6. basketball by OrochimaruVoldemort · · Score: 4, Funny

    in zero g, the white guy could finally compete with the black guy (flaimbait, i'm sure)

    --
    If people can get past, can they get future? Best way to confuse a stoner
    1. Re:basketball by iamhigh · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why would that be flamebait? It is merely a statement of facts. Blacks make up 12-15 percent of the population, but 90+ percent of professional athelets.

      It pisses me off to no end that we can't conlude that one race may be better at things than another (due to P.C.).

      --
      No comprende? Let me type that a little slower for you...
    2. Re:basketball by bennomatic · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You're totally right on. There was a time that a significant portion of pro basketball players were Jewish, too. Was it because of cultural or economic reasons? No, of course not. Sports pundits of the time indicated that shorter men would be better at basketball because they would have greater balance and agility... A quick Google search on "jews in basketball" reveals that and other interesting statements.

      --
      The CB App. What's your 20?
  7. Flying by David+Frankenstein · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I read it somewhere one time. Give me some wings and Zero-G, and I can use them to 'swim' if I can push enough air around. Would be even more fun with Small-G.

  8. Calvin Ball by LordSkippy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Calvin Ball!

    --
    My karma is in a nose dive
  9. Re:Clever "Dept." by Ironsides · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Speaking of which. If they want Zero G and low G sports, I suggest reading through the Science Fiction section a bit. The Enders Game battles were some of the first to pop into my mind. Then there are the human butterfly (strap wings to yourself and fly) sports on the moon from "This place has no atmosphere". There was one in the Tom Swift series that started with "The City in the Stars". I'll have to reread it to check what it was about. Some form of low G basketball if I remember right. There was another series that had a sport where you tried to get around the (quite large) station as fast as you could. You used tow ropes to pull yourself along by realing in your line by hand. A relay/sprint in zero G if you will.

    --
    Fly me to the moon Let me sing among those stars Let me see what spring is like On jupiter and mars
  10. Re:Aloft? by bostongraf · · Score: 3, Interesting

    And can it be considered a world record if it takes place outside of Earth's atmosphere?

  11. Two man juggling by myxiplx · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well you can't very well juggle on your own in space, and I doubt Nasa would appreciate you bouncing balls off all the equipment, but you could probably learn to juggle 5 balls between two people.

    Of course the trick is to work out a path where the balls won't collide, and to learn the direction to throw them in, but it'd make for a great publicity video if they worked it out :D

  12. Flatulence races? by bonkeydcow · · Score: 4, Funny

    Flatulence races? Do you have enough fuel to make it across the finish line?

  13. Re:...'cause many of us are wondering about the... by oodaloop · · Score: 3, Funny

    As opposed to the original kind of mambo, where one person lays down and the other one stands on him?

    --
    Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
  14. Re:Mod Parent Redundant! by glwtta · · Score: 3, Funny

    Huh, must've glossed over the Department.

    Rest assured, I just feel terrible about myself.

    --
    sic transit gloria mundi
  15. Re:Hide and seek? Or VR Descent? by Clovis42 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I imagine it'd be pretty cool to play Hide and Seek in a 3D environment

    Er, like outside in meatspace, maybe?? I'd like to play a 1D game of Hide and Seek.... Or a proper 4D hide and seek... I know he's around here somewhere... but WHEN??

    I suppose you mean it is 3D since you can float off the ground, but you can climb up stuff in regular gravity hide and seek too.
    --
    Clovis
    ^ Clovis, look! It's that guy you are!
  16. Re:Ultimate (Frisbee) by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A spinning disc has lift


    No, it doesn't. A frisbee gets no lift from the fact that it is spinning.

    Because of its shape (it's an airfoil) it does get lift from moving forward, however. It gets *stability* from the spin, which helps maintiain the the edge-on direction of movement that gives it lift.
  17. Re:Mod Parent Redundant! by nog_lorp · · Score: 3, Funny

    I find repetition funny, that's why I watch Family Guy.

    *someone gets hurt*
    Aah... Aah...
    Aah... Aah...
    ...