Why can't I fly a fighter jet into space?

Answer 1

All engines require oxygen to support fuel burning. The higher one flies, the lower the density of the atmosphere. Oxygen makes up about 19-20% of the air you breathe. At high altitudes (Above 80,000 feet/24,200m) the air is so thin normal combustion can not take place. So in order to fly higher, you have to have a source of oxygen.

In Rockets this is usually Liquid Oxygen (LOx) or other oxidixer. Since fighter jet engines use gaseous (oxygen in gas form, just like the air you breath) They cannot reach space.

Space begins at 50 miles (80.5km) high or 264,000 feet (80,500m). In order to stay in space, or orbit as it is called, a speed of 17,000 to 18,000 mph (27,355 to 28,960 km/h) or about Mach 23.5 must be maintained. The fastest jet fighter the Russian MiG-25 Foxbat B is only capible of 2,375mph (3820kph) or Mach 3.2 , well below the slowest orbital velocities. The Foxbat would have a lower orbital speed, but it would still be 4 times faster than the jet is capible of flying.

Also the aircraft controls are designed to use airflow to roll, pitch, and yaw. In space there is no atmosphere, so there is nothing for the control surfaces (Alerons, elevator, and rudder) to act against.

So fighters are too slow and do not have a control system for orbital flight. Spaceflight also has far more issues, I suggest that to head over to www.NASA.gov and read the info there. Lots of really good info on the topic there.

Good luck to you in your future aerospace endeavours!