Truth Seeking Pluralist

On about September 21, 2017 I received via email some questions/comments related to vacuum and how rockets and spacecraft are able to operate in space.   I replied within about 1 day and my responses are presented below slightly edited. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS AS PRESENTED How can anything be propagated through space if it is a vacuum, nothing? If space is a vacuum then what does the rocket push off of?    How does the rocket maintain its heading and not spin out of control if there is no air to stabilize off of? Space travel believers will say that they use special propellant that when ejected out of the thruster nozzle has an equal and opposite reaction.   If that’s the case then wouldn't the thrusters on let’s say the space shuttle when maneuvering to the ISS have to eject the special propellant faster than 17,500MPH which is the speed they are traveling? All tests show that rockets don't work in a vacuum. T MARK HIGHTOWER’S RESPONSE I am ...

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...