Zero G weirdness on the ISS

[studemax]

Check the crazy flipping this handle does...

https://i.imgur.com/eHzyxNM.gifv

[oldsman496]

That is so cool! I wonder if its flipping is caused by a small imbalance of the spinning handle. That same action is why they use 'reaction wheels' in satellites to stabilize them and keep them pointing in the right direction. Many of the gyros, reaction wheels...whatever u want to call them ... use ceramic alloy bearings cooled by liquid helium, to reduce friction.

[pdub]

That's cool as hell. The force around the roll axis prevents both pitch and yaw. Whenever it flips it always ends up pointing directly toward or directly away from the hole it came out of. I could watch that for hours because I'm easily mesmerized.

[DanStokes]

Gotta be a reason.....

Dan

[studemax]

That's cool as hell............I could watch that for hours because I'm easily mesmerized.

It IS cool, and fun to watch over and over.

[RockJustRock]

Two heavy poles one lighter. You can see a wobble start right before each flip.

[pdub]

pitch and yaw? we've found our rocket surgeon

That's great visual evidence that you can haul two tons of pigeons in a one ton panel truck but you have to keep beating on the side of it to keep half of 'em flying.

[Thumpin455]

Take a large wheel and tire from a bike, like a mountain bike tire, put a handle on the axle, now spin it. The wheel will balance on the handle without you gripping it just support it with one finger under the handle, but it will want to turn you in a circle perpendicular to the angle the axle is supported..Centrifugal effect does funny things when its not contained mechanically. The handle flipping like that is due to centrifugal force, it wants to be stable, but it also wants to turn in another axis although much more slowly.

As for the direction it travels, small variations in the trajectory of the ISS, air movement, and other things will cause that, including variations so slight they don't make a difference here. A very slight imbalance in the handle itself could cause it to go just about any direction.

Fun stuff with spiny thingies.