# Can an X-Wing escape Earth's gravity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 25, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230 "2003-06-25T04:57:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/41 "2010-12-27T04:30:23Z")
In the prequels, the Jedi fighters dock with hyperdrive rings when they need to go great distances, but otherwise are presumably limited to sublight speeds: [http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/Delta7FighterHyperdriveRing.jpg](http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/Delta7FighterHyperdriveRing.jpg). By the time of the Battle of Hoth, it appears a hyperdrive can be crammed into a spacecraft as small as an X-wing. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/42 "2010-12-27T04:36:29Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Can X-wings be flown by zombies? > > Doomed, doomed we are! ‘Practically flies itself.’ Personally, I think the Hoth/Degobah/Bespin hop is just sloppy writing. If the Tie fighters can’t get that far into space by themselves, and yet are a near match with the X-wings in combat, and the X-wings have FTL hyperdrives, then either the pitiful little band of rebels is a lot better funded than we’ve been led to believe, or someone just didn’t think things through when they were writing TESB. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/43 "2010-12-27T06:46:03Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Personally, I think the Hoth/Degobah/Bespin hop is just sloppy writing. If the Tie fighters can’t get that far into space by themselves, and yet are a near match with the X-wings in combat, and the X-wings have FTL hyperdrives, then either the pitiful little band of rebels is a lot better funded than we’ve been led to believe, or someone just didn’t think things through when they were writing TESB. TIEs are generally carried on larger ships, such as Star Destroyers (or Death Stars), and thus, don’t need the weight or expense of a hyperdrive. The Rebellion had fairly few carrier-type capital ships, and also needed to have fighers which could make a strike from a base in a different system, without having a carrier to lug them around. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/44 "2010-12-27T09:05:29Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > TIEs are generally carried on larger ships, such as Star Destroyers (or Death Stars), and thus, don’t need the weight or expense of a hyperdrive. > > The Rebellion had fairly few carrier-type capital ships, and also needed to have fighers which could make a strike from a base in a different system, without having a carrier to lug them around. Cite? Or are you fanwanking? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/45 "2010-12-27T10:36:10Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Personally, I think the Hoth/Degobah/Bespin hop is just sloppy writing. If the Tie fighters can’t get that far into space by themselves, and yet are a near match with the X-wings in combat, and the X-wings have FTL hyperdrives, then either the pitiful little band of rebels is a lot better funded than we’ve been led to believe, or someone just didn’t think things through when they were writing TESB. No, it’s just that the Empire thought nothing of using throwaway pilots in cheap throwaway fighters, while the Rebels built fewer, better fighters with more of an eye to the pilot coming back. [TIE fighters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TIE_fighter) don’t have shields, either. > [@](#): > > Described as lacking a hyperdrive, life support, or shield generators, the fragile TIE fighters are deployed in large numbers from bases or larger ships; a Star Destroyer carries a wing of 72 various TIE craft ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/46 "2010-12-27T18:16:59Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Gravity affects hyperdrives, they even use ship generated artificial gravity wells to yank ships out of hyperspace in the EU. Geek out time: “Interdictor cruisers” ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/47 "2010-12-27T19:25:13Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > No, it’s just that the Empire thought nothing of using throwaway pilots in cheap throwaway fighters, while the Rebels built fewer, better fighters with more of an eye to the pilot coming back. [TIE fighters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TIE_fighter) don’t have shields, either. Fair enough, I only know the movies 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/48 "2010-12-27T20:01:53Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > Uhmm, well; I´ve got to admit that posting on this thread has increased my Geekness Index by 24.7 % Yeah, well mine increased by 12 parsecs. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/49 "2010-12-27T20:56:48Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > No, it’s just that the Empire thought nothing of using throwaway pilots in cheap throwaway fighters, while the Rebels built fewer, better fighters with more of an eye to the pilot coming back. [TIE fighters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TIE_fighter) don’t have shields, either. Also, with the Rebellion spreading, TIE fighters with hyperdrive might wander away from their bases piloted by someone (like Biggs) who wanted to desert for the rebellion. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/50 "2010-12-27T22:16:34Z")
With a constant thrust you can escape earths gravity. Hell if you could build a ladder to space you could just climb up it and half a mile an hour. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/51 "2010-12-28T02:47:08Z")
There’s no such thing as an X-Wing! d&r 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/52 "2010-12-28T02:48:42Z")
BTW, why were they called “S-foils” when they were obviously X-shaped? Was that dialogue written and recorded before the models were built or the sfx was done? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/53 "2010-12-28T05:28:07Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Cite? Or are you fanwanking? Not really fanwanking, but I can’t give you a particular cite…it comes from 25 years of reading Expanded Universe stuff on SW ships. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/54 "2010-12-28T05:30:34Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > BTW, why were they called “S-foils” when they were obviously X-shaped? Was that dialogue written and recorded before the models were built or the sfx was done? It would surprise me if that were the case, since they built a full-sized X-wing model for the actual shoot (as well as a number of 2-D “cutouts” which were used in the hangar scene). ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/55 "2010-12-28T10:50:23Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > BTW, why were they called “S-foils” when they were obviously X-shaped? Was that dialogue written and recorded before the models were built or the sfx was done? I’m thinking they’re “Space Foils”, being designed to maximise the ship’s maneuverability in space. But really, since the X Wings were produced a Long Long Time Ago, I would be surprised if you could find one that was in airworthy (or spaceworthy) condition anymore. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/56 "2010-12-28T17:27:00Z")
Mmmm… Zombie thread. Anyway, some points: - yes, the Rebel fighters all have hyperdrives; TIE fighters generally don’t. They were generally carrier-launched, and kept as lean and mean as possible. The basic TIE fighter is essentially a really, really fast blaster platform. That’s it–just guns and an engine. Whereas almost every Rebel fighter also carries a torpedo/missile weapon of some sort, plus a shield, plus life support, plus a hyperdrive. Some later variants of the TIE had shields and hyperdrives (like[Vader’s fighter](http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/tieadvancedx1/)). - regarding “locking S-Foils in attack position”: The [S-Foils](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/S-foils)are primarily there to radiate excess heat into space when the ships are working hard. This is why you see some of those early Clone Wars-era fighters with all of those fins sticking out. They were an early attempt to solve the problem. Later, the designers realize what others said here earlier: With cannons on the wingtips, you can spread your fire more effectively. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/57 "2010-12-28T21:22:39Z")
> [@toadspittle](#): > > They were an early attempt to solve the problem. Later, the designers realize what others said here earlier: With cannons on the wingtips, you can spread your fire more effectively. Which is kind of funny, considering that with wing-mounted guns, the traditional problem has usually been _concentrating_ your fire effectively. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/58 "2010-12-28T21:36:58Z")
Depends on your mission, I suppose, one on one vs spray and pray. OTOH, am I missing something, isn’t heat dissipation on a primarily spaceborne platform independent of surface area? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/59 "2010-12-28T23:10:35Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Do X-wings have FTL drives? Well, obviously they do, if Luke was going to be able to transit from Hoth to Dagobah (not to mention the rest of the fleet bugging out). While I recognize that traveling through hyperspace isn’t like dusting crops, does a craft necessarily need to be out of a planet’s gravity well before engaging the drive, or is out of the atmosphere good enough? IIRC from X-wing v Tie Fighter, the Empire has special ships that create an artificial gravity well to pull ships out of hyperspace. Makes sense from a story-telling point of view as it forces fleets to fight spectacular space battles at sub-luminal speeds without just “jumping” away whenever things get too tough (I’m looking at you re-imagined Battlestar Galactica). ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230/60 "2010-12-29T11:45:03Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > IIRC from X-wing v Tie Fighter, the Empire has special ships that create an artificial gravity well to pull ships out of hyperspace. Makes sense from a story-telling point of view as it forces fleets to fight spectacular space battles at sub-luminal speeds without just “jumping” away whenever things get too tough (I’m looking at you re-imagined Battlestar Galactica). Not to mention giving the heroes a particular ship to concentrate their firepower on (you know, just in case there isn’t a Super Star Destroyer handy). In one of the EU books, some space pirates dragged a largeish asteroid into the flight lane of a starliner, dragging it out of hyperspace. Basically a poor man’s Interdictor (the ships that make the gravity wells). Mind you, this strategy sounds really, really stupid when you sit and think about it for a while, but it was clever enough for storytelling purposes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-x-wing-escape-earths-gravity/184230.md?page=4)