Table of Contents
Can you fire a gun 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.
Did the Russians shoot a gun in space?
The TP-82 (Russian: ТП-82) was a triple-barrelled Soviet pistol that was carried by cosmonauts on space missions. It was intended as a survival aid to be used after landings and before recovery in the Siberian wilderness….TP-82 Cosmonaut survival pistol.
| TP-82 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Combination gun |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1986–2007 |
Has a bullet ever been shot in space?
Yes. Bullets carry their own oxidising agent in the explosive of the cartridge (which is sealed, anyway) so there’s no need for atmospheric oxygen to ignite the propellant. Once shot, the bullet will keep going forever, as the universe is expanding at a faster rate than the bullet will travel.
Do spaceships have guns?
Every spacecraft carries survival gear for crash landings and the Russian Soyuz capsule has a kit that includes a gun. But although the gun has been there for as long as the space station has been in orbit, its existence is kept quiet. NASA and Russia won’t talk publicly about it.
Does the ISS have a gun?
SOYUZ CAPSULE (NBC) – Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have access to a gun. The Russians carry the weapon on their Soyuz space capsule, attached to the space station. Every spacecraft carries survival gear for crash landings and the Russian Soyuz capsule has a kit that includes a gun.
Can you 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.
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.
Can a gun be fired under water?
Longer answer. Yes you can, but not all guns can fire under water. Typically muzzle loading weapons are a type that once the powder gets wet, you can not ignite it. Then the weapon has to have the muzzle and chamber submerged.
Would a gun work in space?
Such films could even have some basis in fact, because shooting a gun in space would certainly work, though not quite like it does on Earth. In addition to there being no sound in space, there is also no oxygen, which is required to create and sustain any kind of fire.