Jan. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese astronaut Takao Doi will test-fly a paper boomerang inside the International Space Station in March, the Mainichi newspaper said on its Web site.

Doi, who is known for his missions aboard the U.S. space shuttle, got training from a world boomerang champion, the newspaper said.

The 53-year-old astronaut agreed to undertake the test suggested by Yasuhiro Toga, from Osaka Prefecture, who wanted to see how the aboriginal hunting weapon flies in zero gravity, Mainichi said.

Togai, winner of the 2006 world boomerang championship, contacted Doi through the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and provided the astronaut with training and boomerangs for the test, Mainichi said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jason Clenfield in Tokyo at jclenfield@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: January 23, 2008 18:16 EST