Flying to the moon

[funkyrich]

If you could fly to the moon in a standard jumbo jet from earth at say 500mph,how long would the journey take?

[Caladon]

about 20 days at a constant of 500mph. the distance between the earth and the moon is 240,250 miles

[jenstar]

That's a big "if" of course, since there's no way a jet engine will work outside the atmosphere.

[Caladon]

the point about it being impossible is that an object needs to be moving at 17,000 mph to be able to leave the gravitaional pull. be it the shuttle, 747 or a brick. once in space a jet could conceivably operate in space if chemical propellant were put through the engines midway. however the rudder and aerilions would not control where the thing is going!

[IndieSinger]

Here's an interesting fact about space, which has very little to do with your question, but I'm going to say it anyway. What scientists refer to as "space" is only just over 60 miles away (under 100km), so travelling at 60mh straight upwards in my Peugeot 106, it would only take about an hour to reach space!

[incitatus]

caladon- the only way a jet would work in space is if you turned it into a rocket. whilst conceivably possible this would be monstrously inefficient, as the forward motion is normally generated by hydraulic damming acting as a cushion for the jet to push against. turning the jet into a rocket chamber you would only have the compressor vanes to push against, which would lose you about half your power.

[IndieSinger]

Just incase anyone's thinking of tryign it, I just tried flying upwards in my Peugeot 106 and it didn't work.

Maybe try in a Rover or something.

[darth vader]

IndieSinger you forgot to wind the windows up and caused too much back draft. Also try flying at night (cos there's less traffic)

[Caladon]

yes, the whole fusealage would need to contain fuel, but it is conceivably possible, thats my point.... and indiesinger, don't get caught by speed cameras on your way up!

[IndieSinger]

Thanks darth vader I tried again earlier - with the windows up - but it started getting a bit hot, so I will try again at night when the sun disappears.