Passing the Olympic Torch in Space (Seriously!)

[3113]

From here:

This was the incredible moment Russian astronauts handed over the Olympic Torch - 260 miles above Earth.

Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy performed the handover during a five-hour spacewalk on the International Space Station as part of the relay for the Sochi Winter Games in Russia in 2014.

Check out the video!

I know there's a plot bunny in this somewhere. Maybe a cross between "Chariots of Fire" and "Gravity...."

 

[TxRad]

Exactly how do you keep that torch burning up there?

 

[elfin_odalisque]

From here:

Check out the video!

I know there's a plot bunny in this somewhere. Maybe a cross between "Chariots of Fire" and "Gravity...."

What TX said. Without oxygen, how do you keep the torch alight? Or is it fake?

 

[StrangeLife]

Exactly how do you keep that torch burning up there?

Everybody knows that there's plenty of air in space. How else could we hear the sound from the explosions and lasers in StarWars and StarTrek...

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Everybody knows that there's plenty of air in space. How else could we hear the sound from the explosions and lasers in StarWars and StarTrek...

tee hee!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Two thoughts....

You provide the air(oxygen) along with the propane to keep the flame lit, much as rockets do. Of course that now means that the torch will be a big as a Saturn V rocket.


Second, as if the world hasn't wasted enough of the people hard earned dollars on boondoggles.

 

[3113]

Exactly how do you keep that torch burning up there?

What TX said. Without oxygen, how do you keep the torch alight? Or is it fake?

Well, I'd say that the torch was wearing an itty-bitty space suit, but truth is they cheated. They passed the torch sans flame.

 

[slyc_willie]

Well, I'd say that the torch was wearing an itty-bitty space suit, but truth is they cheated. They passed the torch sans flame.

Doesn't that sort of defeat the point? Cool enough idea, passing the torch in space, but isn't the Olympic torch supposed to be "eternally lit?"

 

[TxRad]

Doesn't that sort of defeat the point? Cool enough idea, passing the torch in space, but isn't the Olympic torch supposed to be "eternally lit?"

Maybe they meant the torch carriers.

 

[slyc_willie]

Maybe they meant the torch carriers.

Well, them Russians sure do love their vodka, right?

 

[3113]

Doesn't that sort of defeat the point? Cool enough idea, passing the torch in space, but isn't the Olympic torch supposed to be "eternally lit?"

Well, I'd say so, but I watched the video and there ain't no flame to be seen, not in a little space helmet with oxygen nor even a paper one. I suspect (don't quote me on this because I'm just guessing; someone else will have to research and find out if I'm right) that the flame went from Greece to some holding spot, the flameless torch went up into space, was handed off, will come back down and regain the flame and head onwards.

But that's the way it goes with the Olympics and the host country; the host country gets to show off what it's got rather like any host making their house look nice and putting their trophies on display (and I think this only fair). And with the U.S. no longer sending up shuttles, space and the international space station is now for the Russians to show off.

The torch has evidently gone into space before (unlit then also, I'm sure ), but this is the first time it was outside in actual space. I suppose this confers some kind of starlight/solar wind blessing on it. It's certainly a nice symbol for the torch to be in view of the planet it's meant to unite.

 

[3113]

Second, as if the world hasn't wasted enough of the people hard earned dollars on boondoggles.

I don't think it cost all that much more for those already going to the station to take the torch with them, or already doing a space walk to tether the thing and pass it from one person to another. A stunt, yes, a boondoggle no, unless you're talking about the Olympics entire, in which case...you may be right, but that's a separate argument.

 

[StrangeLife]

DNews has an appropriate and quite interesting report about fire in space...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zdD7lfB0Fs

Apparently it's not just an Olympic issue.... NASA has an interest in the subject as well.

 

[mynameisben]

It's all about symbolism. What's more authentic a symbol of the olympics, the olympic torch or the olympic flame? They both seem pretty damned authentic to me, and to raise one symbol above the other seems somewhat ludicrous.

As a matter of practicality, the torch (and only the torch) was sent up into space. That's symbolic enough to catch the world's attention. I think it's a pretty neat stunt. Sending anything into space and then bringing it back down to earth to assume it's original purpose is still novel enough to be exciting. We don't need to send every last olympic thing up in space to make it a noteworthy event.