aren't commercial planes, jets, helicopters, capable of doing it?
2006-12-18 07:19:54 · 13 answers · asked by Thebronx 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
commercial planes, jets, helicopters need air to provide lift and for oxygen to burn fuel. There is no air in space.
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2006-12-18 07:22:24 · answer #1 · answered by DanE 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
planes, jets and helicopters need oxygen and air to develop lift and to move forward. Space has neither of these so they would never get out of the earth's atmosphere.
Also, the space shuttle doesn't actually carry enough fuel or go fast enough to go all the way to the moon. So, about 15-20 years ago when the idea of going back to the moon was discussed at NASA and universities, many people pointed out that we would have to build more Saturn V rockets and design or resuse the apollo spacecraft to get there.
2006-12-18 07:50:21 · answer #2 · answered by Matt M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only rockets have the capability to move that high up, in very thin or absent atmosphere. Helicopters have a very limited height range, they have trouble in thin air on top of high mountains, let alone upper atmosphere. Also the extreme cold effects the mechanics of the rotor engines. Rockets use the Newton's law of action/reaction to push a small compartment (nose capsule) using a very large fuel source (eg Saturn V rocket) into space. Anything less would fail.
2006-12-18 07:54:57 · answer #3 · answered by Labsci 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have to use rockets because right now they are the only thing that we have that can counteract the force of gravity enough that we can make it through our atmosphere an into space. Commercial planes, jets, and helicopters cannot do it because at that altitude there is not enough oxygen for their engines to use to run.
2006-12-18 07:24:07 · answer #4 · answered by pintoguinness37 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Helicopters, definitely not. They need air to get up - as do planes and jets, although they can get higher than helicopters. The rockets provide lift, but planes don't need them to fly. They would need them to get out of the atmosphere.
2006-12-18 07:35:10 · answer #5 · answered by eri 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I hope that you don't have your hope up for working for NASA. Once you get into space, there is no air. Planes, jets and helicopters require air in order to fly. Also, the speed required to escape the gravity of the earth is around 17,500 miles per hour. There is no aircraft that will fly that fast.
2006-12-18 07:29:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope - problem is in far space, there is not enough air - which is a problem for two reasons. First there is nothing for a jet engine or propellor (or a wing!) to deal with - so no life and no propulsion.
Secondly, all convenional engines need oxygen to burn - and there is practically none around in space - a few stray atoms here and there but nothing "usable".
Rocket engines provide their own oxygen as well as the fuel - liquid, solid or mixture. This burnt material also provides something to "push" out - and the equal and opposite reaction gives you the thrust you need.
2006-12-18 07:25:21 · answer #7 · answered by Mark T 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Rockets are the only vehicle with enough power capable of reaching speeds that are needed to break through the earth's atmosphere.
2006-12-18 07:24:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rockets have more power to escape the strong gravity of the earth, and are capable of getting out the atmosphere.
2006-12-18 07:22:36 · answer #9 · answered by AD 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are the only vehicles that can reach a high enough speed to get through the Earth's atmosphere.
2006-12-18 07:29:38 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋