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Q:
Why are there no control surfaces (elevators, ailerons, rudder) on a spacecraft?
A:
Elevators, ailerons and rudders control pitch, roll and yaw respectively by redirecting the air around them. Since there is no air in space, spacecraft cannot use control surfaces to change their direction. Instead of control surfaces, spacecraft use thrusters and spinning wheels to move in space.
Posted on March 8, 2016 at 1:11 pm
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