fore!

So this guy, a tourist, is going to hit a golf ball into space from the international space station. Apparently it's been cleared by NASA. The ball will float around space then return to Earth's atmosphere in three days. It's all a big publicity stunt - some company in Canada, Element 21, is trying to promote it's new line of golf clubs.

Is it just me, or does this strike anyone else as odd? I'm no astronaut - not even a scientist - but it doesn't seem safe to launch things into space all willy-nilly. If it was for research, maybe. But just to promote some new golf clubs? Hmmm.

I guess the golf ball will just disintegrate when it hits our atmosphere. Because I can't imagine any good coming out of it slamming into the earth. Unless it hits the Element 21 headquarters. That'd be so worth it.