Would it take off or not?
2007-07-24 02:58:48 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
No first the engine would not even fire due to the lack of oxygen, and that is the other reason, with no oxygen the blades could not generate lift.
2007-07-24 03:02:25 · answer #1 · answered by Monte T 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Only if it has supplementary engines - there is no atmosphere on the moon, so the blades would just spin - if the engines could start at all - no air = no ignition (unless its pumped in to the engine from an onboard container), and even then what's the point of the rotors won't get you off the ground? A helicopter on the moon is about the same usefulness as a screen door on a submarine.
2007-07-24 10:03:35 · answer #2 · answered by Paul Hxyz 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
helicopters use Gas Turbine Engines which breathe air (oxygen in the air) and since there is no air on the Moon, the gas turbine engines will not run on the Moon.
helicopters use rotors with an air foil to generate lift so that they can fly. Airfoils generate lift by making the air in the atmosphere travel a long distance over the top of the foil, and a short distance under the foil. Air pressure is reduced on the top of the foil and lift is generated. On the moon there is no air, and no atmosphere, so the airfoils would not generate any lift.
Helicopters would not fly on the Moon.
2007-07-24 12:22:42 · answer #3 · answered by zahbudar 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A lot of great answers here. My thoughts are when someone asks a question, all events leading to the question have already been considered and excepted. Therefore the events leading to a helicopter on the moon are not relavant, nor if the person can breath as we all know they cant. No air to fire the engine, no air for the rotors to push against, so no the copter wont fly.
Actually after my inital line of idle patter I really like Cosmos answer.
2007-07-24 10:40:09 · answer #4 · answered by orion_1812@yahoo.com 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Of course not. Firstly the engine is an internal combustion engine, requiring oxygen to ignite the fuel vapour to generate the motion of the pistons that drive the rotation of the blades. Secondly a helicopter uses the blades to generate lift in air. With no air it can't generate any lift, therefore even if you could re-work it so it ran off some other kind of engine the helicopter would simply sit there merrily spinning its blades and achieving precisely nothing.
2007-07-24 10:35:02 · answer #5 · answered by Jason T 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
This is actually a tough one. If you set aside material science and assume your helicoptor is piolotless and the materials would sustain space travel. You could imagine getting enough upward thrust such that you could set a trajectory to the moon. Once it left the atmosphere, there would be very little air for it to push against; at the same time though, there is enough friction to require continued thrusts to get to the moon. The real question is, what speed could you leave the earth's atmosphere.
2007-07-24 10:05:31 · answer #6 · answered by patrickdengler 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes surely it would take off .. but only if we install some power boosters at its butt. with the same old style, its rooters will not even spin as there is no air on the moon which they take in to put force on ground so as to fly...
2007-07-24 12:49:11 · answer #7 · answered by Harsh M 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Top Contributor is right.There is no air and the helicopter needs air to take off.
2007-07-24 12:36:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course not. A helicopter depends on the aerodynamic lift of its rotors, which in turn requires air. Also, the engine needs air to run.
2007-07-24 10:02:27 · answer #9 · answered by aviophage 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Nope. Neither would an airplane. Or a hot air balloon.
2007-07-24 10:49:03 · answer #10 · answered by quantumclaustrophobe 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋