Guns in space with bullets that return?

It is not practical, you would need to launch the bullet/projectile with enough fuel to:

1. Stop its forward movement
2. Start movement in reverse
3. Slow down and stop when it got back.

At each step it would need enough fuel/energy to carry the fuel/energy for the remaining steps.

A person would not be able to handle the gun that held the bullet/projectile that would meet these requirements.

In space there is no atmosphere to slow the bullet/projectile

Newton's Three Laws of Motion

Newton's three laws of motion may be stated as follows:

• Every object in a state of uniform motion will remain in that state of motion unless an external force acts on it.
• Force equals mass times acceleration [ $ f(t)=m\,a(t)$ ].
• For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Source

Edit/Maybe it could work?

If it was a short range weapon, with a monofilament wire connecting the projectile to the weapon.

Something like a high tech paddle ball and railgun combination. The projectile is fired with electromagnetic force. The wire stops the projectile and starts it's return. The projectile is stopped in the barrel of the gun with electromagnetic force similar to its launch.

You could rapid fire the same projectile multiple times per second.

The only challenge is collecting enough Unobtainium which is the only substance that that would stand up the strains for the wire and projectile,

posted over 5 years ago

James Jenkins‭

69 reputation 1 8 6 3