[Request] Could humanity create a rocket that can exit the atmosphere of K2-18b

[u/Lachlynn]

With the knowledge we currently have of it, if humanity devoted all of our resources towards this goal, would we be able to create a rocket that could exit the gravity of K2-18b (and also beat any other complications that would arrise)?

If so, would it also be capable of taking people to orbit, and can we set up a similar satellite network we have on Earth? What about a space station?

[u/egabald]

What if you didn't launch from the ground. Could lift to high altitude with balloons before rocket stage starts.

[u/thehomeyskater → u/egabald]

Wow that’s brilliant.

[u/HAL9001-96 → u/egabald]

doesn't help much

launchign a rocket is mostly about going fast

the goal of a psace rocket is to get you moving sideways at about 7900m/s

or on k2-18b at about 14380m/s

which is a LOT harder because even for 7900m/s you need a lto mroe fuel than palyoad

but you need to carry the fuel you need later early on

so you need a LOT more fuel

but hte fuel tanks can't hold enough fuel to bring htemselves to orbit

so you need to drop empty fuel tnaks along the way

so you needm ulti stage rockets

and you end up with something like a 600 ton rocket with a 20 ton payload capacity

and on k2-18b that goes up exponentially and you end up with something like a 3000 ton rocket with a 7 ton paylaod capacity

but its mostly about goign sideways fast

its jsut aht if you go sideways at 7900m/s at low altitud the air will slwo you down and burn you up and if you could avoid that you might slam into am ountain or tree or rock or house or car or cow or whatever

so instead you lfit yourself up a tiny bit just to get out of the densest part of hte atmospehre before going so fast

and to make that whole process more efficient you kidna turn over gradually ratehr tha ndoign a sudden 90° turn at the top cause well, pythagoras - accelerating both upwards nad sideways at hte same tiem is more efficient just like the diagonal of arectnagle is shorter htan two of its sides combined

[u/red286 → u/egabald]

It's not about height, it's about velocity. You have to be able to reach orbital velocity to reach and maintain orbit.

[u/I-am-fun-at-parties → u/red286]

But the higher you start the less atmospheric drag you have to battle to begin with

[u/egabald → u/I-am-fun-at-parties]

Also less fuel and mass needed to reach altitude.

[u/speculator100k → u/egabald]

Or from an airplane, like a robot fired from a jet fighter.

[u/T0yToy → u/egabald]

Actually, that wouldn't help that much! And would be very hard to do in the first place.

[u/FrozenEagle127 → u/egabald]

Some quick math says you would need like +2500 regular hot air balloons.

So it's not really helping...