the magnetic field blocks solar storms/attacks, which are much more powerful than space ships, so how can space ships penetrate it?
2006-07-03 16:33:57 · 12 answers · asked by bananaster 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Short and simple : not strong enough.
The magnetic field around the earth is actually weaker than your average refrigerator magnet. Not nearly strong enough to hold back a shuttle or rocket.
"The Sun's dipolar field is about as strong as a refrigerator magnet, or 50 gauss (a unit of magnetic intensity). Earth's magnetic field is 100 times weaker."
2006-07-03 17:17:18 · answer #1 · answered by Michael 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Campbelp2002, Steve, and Michael are absolutely right. While the magnetic field around the Earth is strong enough to deflect charged subatomic particles coming from solar winds, etc., it is simply not strong enough to affect a spacecraft. They have too much mass and are not charged or particularly ferrous (iron-containing), so the magnetic field barely affects them. The gravitational field of the Earth has more of an effect, anyway.
2006-07-05 06:53:17 · answer #2 · answered by Galatix27 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Earth's magnetic field is not nearly strong enough to affect the travel of a space ship.
2006-07-03 19:04:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
magnetic fields don't block solar storms, the atmosphere does that...it doesn't pull enough to stop a space ship because the ship is going much faster.
2006-07-03 16:37:29 · answer #4 · answered by deal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The storms are not powerful in the same way as rockets. The solar storms consist of charged subatomic particles that are deflected by the magnetic field because of their electrical charge and small size. Space craft are not electrically charged, and not small at all.
2006-07-03 16:38:16 · answer #5 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The geo-magnetic field is actually stronger near the surface, so it should adversely affect airplanes even more than space ships. the answer is that it is incredibly weak compared to the gravitational forces, and also, only affects things with iron in them, which is a small percentage of the makeup of aerospace craft.
2006-07-03 16:41:35 · answer #6 · answered by Steve 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the magnetic field comes from inside the earth outwards. Plus, solar storms are not solid objects. They are radioactive blasts from the sun.
2006-07-03 16:38:24 · answer #7 · answered by Nagitar™ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because the gravitational pull is not strong enough to pull an object that is propelling itself out of the atmosphere using jet or rocket propulsion.
2006-07-03 16:39:51 · answer #8 · answered by djgld919 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bc they can force it out
2006-07-03 16:36:26 · answer #9 · answered by fight2partyhard 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe it just isnt strong enough to hold it down
2006-07-03 16:39:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋