Rebuttal to Flat Earth argument: Space travel impossible since rockets have nothing to push against in space
WOULD ROCKET ENGINES FIRING IN SPACE NOT BE ABLE TO AFFECT THE MOTION OF THE SPACECRAFT SINCE THEY HAVE NOTHING TO PUSH AGAINST IN THE VACUUM OF SPACE? PROBLEM STATEMENT AND RESPONSE by T. Mark Hightower 9/20/2017 SUMMARY OF THIS ARGUMENT USED IN FAVOR OF FLAT EARTH THEORY This argument describes physical behavior familiar to most on the earth where it is either clear that motion is achieved by pushing against something or it appears that this is the case. I will describe two examples. A car pushes against the road with its drive wheels powered by the car's engine or motor in a direction opposite to the direction of the car's motion. A jet aircraft in motion in the air (atmosphere) appears to be achieving its forward motion by pushing against the air behind it with the thrust of its jet engines. In space there is no air, but instead a vacuum. A spacecraft in space firing it rocket engine would have nothing to push against, therefore the fi...