Do astronauts ever carry weapons?

originally posted by: PrinceDreamer
I think people here are forgetting simple physics...

A bullet fires by creating an explosion inside the cartridge, that requires two things, an explosive powder and OXYGEN, I think you may find one of those items might be missing in space...

/facepalm

Gun powder has oxygen releasing chemical in it already. Salt Peter or potassium nitrate.
Today's gun powder might use a different oxidizer than years gone by, but a gun can shoot anywhere, even under water with the right gun. A Glock for example.

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed
but a gun can shoot anywhere, even under water with the right gun.

Here's some great high-speed footage of a Kalashnikov being fired underwater:


www.youtube.com...


www.youtube.com...

In fact, in semi-automatic mode it seems to reload faster than out of water.

a reply to: Implosion

how much propellant would be needed to fire the attitude thrusters to mitigate the recoil of each round fired from a soviet 23mm ???

most of the references to small arms issue - is clearly part of thier emergency kit for surviving a landing when [ for what ever reason ] freindly forces do not reach them in a timely manner

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed
Gun powder has oxygen releasing chemical in it already. Salt Peter or potassium nitrate.

If it's a black powder rifle, I suppose.

Since about 1920, modern arms have used smokeless powder. The oxidizer is part of the nitrocellulose base.

www.abovetopsecret.com... This thread gives some speculation on the current topic, also, I think the knife maker , Ernest Emerson, Designed a folding combat/survival knife that is issued to NASA astronauts. the name of the thread in case link don't work. Mystery: Why is NASA training astronauts in Medieval Weaponry

originally posted by: Spiderj
You're instincts are right "Guns in space is bad".

Considering the fragile state of our ships (all good conspiracies aside) I would think projectile weapons in zero G has a lot of other possible unforseen ramifications.

Forget putting a bullet hole or two through a shuttle tile if your say in the open shuttle bay, one missed shot and that bullet keeps going. Then about nine hundred years later it slams through the hull of some rich kids shuttle craft and then whamo we're at war with the entire planet of...oh lets say Chiato...because of a bullet fired nine hundred years previously.

Though they could carry guns, happend in that bruce willis movie and that was fairly realistic...kidding, kidding, please no replies about the innacuracy of Armageddon, it was a joke.

Spiderj

Likely not.

I
The bullet would liklely end up in orbit around earth and be just another piece of space junk. The orbit will eventually decay.

originally posted by: CX
Have astronauts at any point carried weapons within a spacecraft?

I ask because i was wondering how they would react if they were indeed to meet an alien life form. Do they have any specific orders for this eventuality? If the alien being were similar to us, and was'nt all nicey nicey, i think i'd want a bit of back up.

I know our space exploration missions are a peacefull thing, but should anything threaten our astronauts, or indeed the billions of pounds worth of spacecraft that is thier only way home, what have they got to defend themselves?

Please don't tell me they just have one of those fancy NASA pens that writes upside down that they could throw at something?

I know this must sound like a stupid question, i mean if a negligent discharge in an aeroplane can cause havoc, then i think we all know what would happen if one went off in the shuttle. I'd just never heard of any defense equipment on the shuttle or other craft thats all.

CX.

Nope, never, they're like sharks out of water up there. Opportunity awaits.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed
Gun powder has oxygen releasing chemical in it already. Salt Peter or potassium nitrate.

If it's a black powder rifle, I suppose.

Since about 1920, modern arms have used smokeless powder. The oxidizer is part of the nitrocellulose base.

haha, yeah, but I did mention modern day powder was different didn't I.. Funny how people will do out of context cherry picking to make themselves look smart isn't it..

I do not believe any Astronauts have carried anything more than a knife, in space. The knife would be useful for cutting away webbing that may have become entangled in equipment.

They don't carry for the same reason Bigfoot hunters don't carry.