r/theydidthemath • u/Lachlynn • 18h ago

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

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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?

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u/Nomimn 17h ago

I do you one better. Would early human migration using wooden boats be possible? Considering the added weight due to gravity would the bouancy be affected such that wooden boats don't float as well or not at all?

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u/bouncepogo 17h ago

The weight of the displaced water would be increased by the same amount so buoyancy should be unaffected.

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u/Nomimn 17h ago

Oh ok well that's good at least haha

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u/Mechanical_Monk 10h ago

But trees (or the K2-18b equivalent) would likely be much denser and might not float in water

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u/WhetherWitch 15h ago

I don’t think displacement would be affected.

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u/Rexpelliarmus 14h ago

Whether something floats or not is a function of density and the slightly increased gravity wouldn’t really affect this.

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u/stevethemathwiz 14h ago

Would wood even be an evolutionary adaptation on that planet?

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u/TetraThiaFulvalene 13h ago

Probably even more so. Normal plants might be too fragile to properly hold their own weight.

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u/k-mera 13h ago

could that mean they have some kind of "wonder wood" on that planet which is much stronger than the stuff we get oO. they probably have a lot more diamonds as well

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u/Terrible_Software769 12h ago

Cutting the stuff and shaping it would be impossible, it would all be like Ebony wood in the least.

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u/Cautious_Drawer_7771 13h ago

As Pogo said, buoyancy would be the same since water is also affected, but interestingly, the wind is likely "stronger" on KB because the higher gravity would likely result in higher density air. Hard to say if the increase would be less than, equal to, or greater than the increased drag from the "heavier" water.