do you think its possible to fly a jet in space?

Originally posted by HowardRoark
The World record for both speed and height by an air-breathing aircraft (not a rocket) was 85,135 feet. It was set in an SR-71 Blackbird in 1976.

The speed record is also held by an SR-71, at 2,193 mph. This is not as high or as fast as the airplane can fly, however, it's absolute speed and altitude limits are classified. Most US military aircraft can exceed 50,000 feet, if they really really try. Again, the limits are classified. Most commercial jetliners cruise somewhere between 30,000 and 45,000 feet above mean sea level. At higher speeds and altitudes, there isn't enough oxygen in the air to continuously burn the jet fuel required to stay up there. Engines designed to work very well that high, have serious limitations when they are operated closer to the surface. There are aircraft that have flown higher and faster (the X-15) but they really aren't aircraft, they are rockets, because they carry their own source of oxygen, instead of using the air. However, the fastest and highest airplanes are the American SR-71 Blackbirds.

At those high altitudes, I would also suspect that the wing lift and the effectiveness of the control surfaces would be somewhat compromised by the low air pressure.


[edit on 10-2-2005 by HowardRoark]

The X-43a went to 110,000 feet and travelled at mach 9.8 - and it is an air breather (scramjet).