Georgia-Pacific & NASA: The First Paper Ever Made in Space
Innovation has always been central to Georgia-Pacific’s growth, especially within our Consumer Products division. One of the most remarkable chapters in that history involves NASA—and a pioneering manufacturing milestone that happened 212 miles above the planet. In January 1986, aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, the very first (and still the only) sheets of paper ever created in space were produced, marking an achievement unlike any other in the industry.
This story began three years earlier with Daniel Hebert, a student at Appleton West High School in Appleton, Wisconsin. Daniel proposed an experiment to study how gravity, or the lack of it, impacts the process of making paper. His idea was submitted to NASA through the Shuttle Student Involvement Project for Secondary Schools and was selected for implementation. Following approval, Daniel partnered with researchers at The Neenah Technical Center (NTC)—then part of the James River Corporation and now within the Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products group based in Neenah, Wisconsin.
Together, Daniel and the NTC team engineered a compact device that could form sheets of paper in a microgravity environment—the near-weightless conditions aboard the shuttle. On January 14, 1986, the experiment was carried out both on Columbia in orbit and simultaneously on Earth at NTC. The project represented a unique fusion of student innovation and professional scientific support, demonstrating the transformative power of collaboration between education and industry.
In the last year, extensive effort has gone into documenting and preserving this landmark moment. Interviews have been conducted with five original participants, and an impressive collection of artifacts has been archived—including the flight-tested device, paper samples produced in space, original sketches, engineering schematics, and other primary materials.
As the 40-year anniversary approaches in January 2026, these historical pieces will be on display at The History Museum at the Castle in Appleton. Visitors will be able to see the one-of-a-kind papermaking tool used in orbit, along with additional memorabilia from this incredible venture. The exhibit will honor the bold ideas that made the experiment possible, and celebrate the community whose creativity and curiosity helped expand the boundaries of scientific exploration—then and now.
Click here to know more about the exhibit and the History Museum at the Castle.
This story began three years earlier with Daniel Hebert, a student at Appleton West High School in Appleton, Wisconsin. Daniel proposed an experiment to study how gravity, or the lack of it, impacts the process of making paper. His idea was submitted to NASA through the Shuttle Student Involvement Project for Secondary Schools and was selected for implementation. Following approval, Daniel partnered with researchers at The Neenah Technical Center (NTC)—then part of the James River Corporation and now within the Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products group based in Neenah, Wisconsin.
Together, Daniel and the NTC team engineered a compact device that could form sheets of paper in a microgravity environment—the near-weightless conditions aboard the shuttle. On January 14, 1986, the experiment was carried out both on Columbia in orbit and simultaneously on Earth at NTC. The project represented a unique fusion of student innovation and professional scientific support, demonstrating the transformative power of collaboration between education and industry.
In the last year, extensive effort has gone into documenting and preserving this landmark moment. Interviews have been conducted with five original participants, and an impressive collection of artifacts has been archived—including the flight-tested device, paper samples produced in space, original sketches, engineering schematics, and other primary materials.
As the 40-year anniversary approaches in January 2026, these historical pieces will be on display at The History Museum at the Castle in Appleton. Visitors will be able to see the one-of-a-kind papermaking tool used in orbit, along with additional memorabilia from this incredible venture. The exhibit will honor the bold ideas that made the experiment possible, and celebrate the community whose creativity and curiosity helped expand the boundaries of scientific exploration—then and now.
Click here to know more about the exhibit and the History Museum at the Castle.
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