Ask an Explainer
Q:
Would it be possible to fly a fighter jet as is in space?
A:
It would not be possible for a fighter jet to fly in space. Both jet engines and rocket engines create thrust from an internal pressure difference and require oxygen to burn fuel. However, jet engines take in oxygen from the air, while rocket engines carry their own oxygen. Since there is no air in space, a jet engine can only produce thrust inside Earth’s atmosphere.
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 3:07 pm
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