With the US getting further and further into space, it’s only a matter of time before they find something to go to war with. It’s their goddang rights to open carry on and off Earth, but what would happen when they start firing their gun in space?
We’ve seen plenty of interpretations of what would happen when a gun was fired in space. Moonraker has to be a personal favorite. Although, admittedly, they’re lasers rather than bullets. Quite different, but still great fun.
The act of firing a traditional old gunpowder weapon would be quite the event. There are many things to factor in, including the lack of oxygen, the effect of a vacuum, and, of course, gravity. A gun fired in space would behave very differently from one on Earth.
Only the Russians have come close to testing what would happen when a gun was fired in space. But it wasn’t a gun, it was a cannon, and their findings are secret. On the ISS, they’re too busy finding new, creepy bacteria and checking radiation levels. They’re not testing cool things. But a few scientists have weighed in on the situation, so we have a rough idea.
We Have The Technology
The initial question would be whether or not a gun could even fire in space in the first place. But, don’t fear, it’s already been sorted out. The oxidizer contained in modern ammunition does away with the need for outside oxygen. Even in the vacuum of space, we could still ‘protect our families‘.
So, the gun will fire. The person firing the gun may have a bit of a problem, though. With a traditional gun, there are Newton’s laws to contend with. As the explosion pushes the small bullet out of the chamber, it creates kickback. This is felt even on Earth, but on Earth, we can stay grounded.
Firing a gun in space would throw the shooter backward unless they were secured or had some kind of resistant thrust. Someone with a fully automatic rifle would be screwed.
As for the bullet itself, it would carry on into the vast nothingness of space. There is no wind resistance to slow it, and no gravity to make it drop. A bullet fired in space would simply keep moving at full speed until the end of the universe itself.