# Can an object be thrown back to earth from space?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-object-be-thrown-back-to-earth-from-space/536531
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 18, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-object-be-thrown-back-to-earth-from-space/536531 "2010-04-18T14:23:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 2

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### Author: ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-object-be-thrown-back-to-earth-from-space/536531/21 "2010-04-18T21:54:57Z")

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> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> And these differ in what way?

Ah, but in the other part of its orbit, it’ll be in closer proximity to earth.

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### Author: ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-object-be-thrown-back-to-earth-from-space/536531/22 "2010-04-18T22:02:31Z")

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> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> And these differ in what way?

Sorry, half the orbit will be nearer the Earth than the circular orbit, and the other half will be farther.

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### Author: ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-object-be-thrown-back-to-earth-from-space/536531/23 "2010-04-18T22:29:50Z")

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> [@Smeghead](#):
>
> Ah, but in the other part of its orbit, it’ll be in closer proximity to earth.

That doesn’t reveal the whole picture. For at least part of its orbit, the object’s location will approach the earth’s moreso than the thrower’s does.

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### Author: ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-object-be-thrown-back-to-earth-from-space/536531/24 "2010-04-18T23:08:22Z")

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But only for [del]20[/del]45 minutes.

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### Author: ![Super\_Kapowzler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Super\_Kapowzler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Kapowzler)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-object-be-thrown-back-to-earth-from-space/536531/25 "2010-04-18T23:32:23Z")

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> [@billfish678](#):
>
> Not so long ago a shuttle astronaut accidently just LET go of a tool bag on a space walk. It didnt stay in orbit too long.
> 
> .

I think that was one of our Best and Brightest from Minnesota!!!  
Tool-Bag, You ROCK!

Just sayin’ and shit.

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### Author: ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-object-be-thrown-back-to-earth-from-space/536531/26 "2010-04-19T00:17:50Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> [Nobody ever reads anything I write, do they?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2099/if-youre-in-orbit-is-it-possible-to-throw-something-down-to-earth)

From your article:

> [@](#):
>
> Most of the “shooting stars” you see are caused by particles the size of a grain of sand or so

I didn’t know that . . . that’s pretty amazing.

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