Cosmonaut to tee up for monster orbital golf shot

International Space Station.Tyurin, a Russian flight engineer, will be playing golf this week. So what’s so unusual about it? He will be playing it out in space outside the International Space Station in his bulky spacesuit.
Tyurin, who has been aboard the station since September, isn't expected to smack the ball, just tap it with the club. The ball itself weighs just 0.16 ounces (4.5 grams) instead of the standard-issue 1.6 ounces (45 grams).

Tyurin has to make the shot one-handed because his bulky spacesuit prevents him from bringing his hands together.

Station commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, who is accompanying Tyurin during the spacewalk, will film the shot for an upcoming television commercial.

Tyurin's drive is expected to be one for the record books, though not everyone agrees on how long the ball will fly. NASA figures it will fall into Earth's atmosphere and be incinerated within three days. Element 21 Golf is betting on three years.

Link: Reuters
Image: NASA
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