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Can Planes and Helicopters Fly to the Moon?

-- | April 26, 2014

Question: I was wondering if you can somehow get a helicopter and an airplane into space and lets say put them on the moon, is there any way the helicopter and plane could take flight? — Calvin

Answer: Airplanes and helicopters using the resistance of the Earth’s atmosphere (mostly nitrogen gas) to provide “lift”, which allows them to fly. Since both would have to exit the Earth’s atmosphere to get to the Moon, neither would be able to fly to the Moon.

Jeff Mangum

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