What would happen if you fired a gun in space?

What about firing a gun out in the middle of space? Well, it would simply drift into the blackness, forever alone, while the galaxies around it sped further away. Those galaxies are travelling at around 200km/s (124 miles/sec) as the Universe expands, whereas a travelling bullet can reach speeds of only 1km/s (0.62 mile/sec).

Can you shoot a bullet in space?

Fires can’t burn in the oxygen-free vacuum of space, but guns can shoot. Modern ammunition contains its own oxidizer, a chemical that will trigger the explosion of gunpowder, and thus the firing of a bullet, wherever you are in the universe. No atmospheric oxygen required.

What would happen if you shot a bullet through the universe?

Well, it would simply drift into the blackness, forever alone, while the galaxies around it sped further away. Those galaxies are travelling at around 200km/s (124 miles/sec) as the Universe expands, whereas a travelling bullet can reach speeds of only 1km/s (0.62 mile/sec).

Why can’t you shoot a gun on the Moon?

The Moon is smaller and has less of a gravitational pull, so something orbiting the Moon doesn’t need to be going at such a high velocity. A very powerful gun, like a military cannon, would be able to fire a shot all the way around the surface of the Moon. What about firing a gun out in the middle of space?

Fires can’t burn in the oxygen-free vacuum of space, but guns can shoot. Modern ammunition contains its own oxidizer, a chemical that will trigger the explosion of gunpowder, and thus the firing of a bullet, wherever you are in the universe.

Can We actually shoot a gun in space?

In the worst case scenario, if the gun was fired from near the astronaut’s head, the astronaut might end up rotating about once every 3 minutes which could be easily corrected by the thrusters the astronauts use to move about. So in short, yes, you can shoot a gun in space.

Will a gun shoot in outer space?

The vacuum of outer space will not be a problem for firing a bullet. Guns do not need oxygen to work. The gun will work (very slightly) better in space. The bullet will not have to push and compress the air in the barrel as it exits the gun. There is no need to “push” against anything for a gun to work.

Do firearms work in space?

Yes, guns work in space but there are some unique considerations. Scott Manley addresses the scientific and engineering problems posed by firearms in space. Regular guns will fire in space, but they’re likely to be less reliable unless built with vacuum operation in mind.