Does a space shuttle travelling in space experience any resistance to its motion?
If a body in space is applied constant force, does it attain speed of light after sufficient time?
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- Yes a spacecraft traveling through space experiences some opposing force or drag through particles and radiation. Most of what we consider vacuum is filled with gas, photons and a sea of subatomic particles that will interact with the craft and change its momentum. Even in a complete vacuum it is possible that quantum mechanical field fluctuations, especially of the electromagnetic field, affect the craft's motion.
- A constant force will never result in an object with mass attaining light speed. Through relativistic effects, the mass of the object will experience a gamma correction leading to ever decreasing accelerations. In fact the speed attainable is asymptotic to the speed of light.
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$\begingroup$ So the space isnt empty and it consists of gas, photons and subatomic particles? $\endgroup$– SS4Mar 9, 2016 at 11:48
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$\begingroup$ Note that the ever decreasing accelerations are decreasing from the perspective of an inertial observer. From the perspective of the accelerating mass, the acceleration is constant. Also, @SS4, you are correct. Space isn't quite empty. $\endgroup$– LacklubMar 9, 2016 at 13:33