Handheld weapons in space? - General

After playing shattered horizon, the thought occurred. "Wouldn't newtons law of blah blah equal opposite reaction cause the person firing a conventional firearm in space to spin like a tornado as well? Then i remembered reading about the Gyrojet weapon family of weapons and how they theoretically would work in space. My questions are, would the gyrojet indeed work in space? Are there any other weapons that could? and are there any weapon systems specially designed for use in space. I would think that the Russians would have designed something like this at one point. They put a big machine gun on one of their satellites once so i wouldn't put this idea past them.

no

It's a video game, not to be confused with real life.

Shattered Horizon is an FPS futuristic game.. shouldn't be taken literally by any means.

space melee combat

The question that comes up in my mind is: Why? What are we going to use it for? The answer is obvious: War. But should war really be brought to space? We study the cosmos to learn, to help humanity, so should we fight about it? And about what? *more pacifism and science ranting* On topic: No, I've not heard about any projectile-based weaponry made to be used in space.

Why would anyone even use that small scale weaponry in space when there's lasers and relativistic missiles?

[QUOTE=radioactive;22380140]It's a video game, not to be confused with real life.[/QUOTE] I know this, there is a clear distinction between real life and the video game. But what i meant was, could this idea be plausible in REAL LIFE. [QUOTE=redsun]Shattered Horizon is an FPS futuristic game.. shouldn't be taken literally by any means.[/QUOTE] same as above

[QUOTE=Cheezy;22380352]Why would anyone even use that small scale weaponry in space when there's lasers and relativistic missiles?[/QUOTE] forget explosives, throw the densest rock you can find at them. the stabilizers! they do nothing!

By the time technology has evolved so much that we would be fighting wars in space, I think laser technology or other currently unconventional weapons would be more commonplace

[QUOTE=Herr Sven;22380233]The question that comes up in my mind is: Why? What are we going to use it for? The answer is obvious: War. [/QUOTE] The same reason the Russians designed a weapon for use underwater. Just in case.

[QUOTE=uberdood15;22380459]The same reason the Russians designed a weapon for use underwater. Just in case.[/QUOTE] And it isn't more effective to try to hinder wars?

Handheld weapons really don't have a place in space, it's like having a pistol on the ocean. Most warfare will take place ship to ship, if you want to learn about the physics behind ship warfare check out this page [url]http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/rocket3x1.html[/url].

[QUOTE=BAZ;22380495]Handheld weapons really don't have a place in space, it's like having a pistol on the ocean. Most warfare will take place ship to ship, if you want to learn about the physics behind ship warfare check out this page [URL]http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/rocket3x1.html[/URL].[/QUOTE] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-P578pnctU[/media] A pistol in the ocean you say? Already been designed, said and done.

There was a gun that could shoot in space Turns out though it had a possibility of firing backwards...and that's why its no longer used...

No air in space= No explosion to propel boolet forward.

[QUOTE=M..BISON;22380734]No air in space= No explosion to propel boolet forward.[/QUOTE] Bullets don't burn air, they burn explosive powder, causing the released gases from the powder burning to propel the projectile. That isn't the problem. the problem is the recoil messing with the firer in a zero gravity environment.

[QUOTE=M..BISON;22380734]No air in space= No explosion to propel boolet forward.[/QUOTE] Why can rockets move then? Hint: Add liquid oxygen to the explosive.

Sir Isaac Newton is the deadliest son-of-a-bitch in space

[QUOTE=uberdood15;22380763]Bullets don't burn air, they burn explosive powder, causing the released gases from the powder burning to propel the projectile. That isn't the problem. the problem is the recoil messing with the firer in a zero gravity environment.[/QUOTE] Gunpowder cannot burn without oxygen.

[QUOTE=Captain Lawlrus;22380923]Gunpowder cannot burn without oxygen.[/QUOTE] Gunpowder has its own oxidizer. No atmospheric oxygen needed.

[QUOTE=uberdood15;22381014]Gunpowder has its own oxidizer. No atmospheric oxygen needed.[/QUOTE] yes i remember some show where they said you can theoretically fire a gun on the moon because the gunpowder makes its own oxidizer, but the recoil would be so great that it would be impractical

The Russians experimented with space weapons. [url]http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.hunt4u.ru/tp-82.htm&langpair=ru|en&hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=/language_tools[/url]

[QUOTE=minilandstan;22380722]There was a gun that could shoot in space Turns out though it had a possibility of firing backwards...and that's why its no longer used...[/QUOTE] There was a family of experimental firearms called the "Gyrojet" which in theory could all fire in space. Instead of bullets, Gyrojets used small rockets. The idea was to issue firearms that were lightweight and have no recoil. The only problems with these firearms were: * Expensive rocket "bullets", they used solid rocket fuel and could cost up to $100 a piece. * The rocket "bullets" need to gain enough velocity to do any damage or otherwise just simply bounce off. * The rocket "bullets" weren't accurate since they somewhat swirl. * Sometimes the rocket "bullets" will not fire and they may fall out from the side. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoffTmg9bxU[/media] Maybe in the future, rocket "bullets" would become a practical technology for space warfare.

[QUOTE=Craptasket;22380820]Sir Isaac Newton is the deadliest son-of-a-bitch in space[/QUOTE] I better not be the only one who got the reference...

[QUOTE=DONUT KING;22381407]I better not be the only one who got the reference...[/QUOTE] Yes we've all played Mass Effect.

It would have no place in space warfare, anyway. Mostly, weaponry would be based on ship to ship combat.

no. we'd all use swords in space. duh. [B]giant fucking claymores[/B]

I can see it now, space samurais, spinning for eternity...

[QUOTE=cornndog;22381143]The Russians experimented with space weapons. [url]http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.hunt4u.ru/tp-82.htm&langpair=ru|en&hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=/language_tools[/url][/QUOTE] That's not a gun for use in space, that's a gun to use if you crash from space.