# Could an astronaut fart himself back to the space capsule? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223 "2009-01-27T13:58:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elconqueeestador](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@elconqueeestador](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elconqueeestador)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/1 "2009-01-27T13:58:03Z")
If there was some way spacesuits were designed to allow venting of flatulence directly into the vacuum of space without harming the astronaut could some well aimed farts propel him back to safety should said astronaut accidentally untether himself? ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/2 "2009-01-27T14:32:02Z")
If the suit is designed to vent, the astronaut wouldn’t have to fart. The suit’s air would serve as reaction mass. \*\*\* Ponder ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/3 "2009-01-27T14:34:03Z")
\*\*Could an astronaut fart himself back to the space capsule? \*\* Only in Futurama’s universe. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/4 "2009-01-27T14:53:39Z")
Threads like this remind of why I love the Boards. \ ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/5 "2009-01-27T14:57:02Z")
I suspect both the mass and velocity of gas the average person could rip out would be insufficient to give our putative astronaut the delta-V needed to move very far at any useful velocity. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/6 "2009-01-27T15:24:49Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > I suspect both the mass and velocity of gas the average person could rip out would be insufficient to give our putative astronaut the delta-V needed to move very far at any useful velocity. You’ve never eaten at a Mexican buffet, have you? That alone could give me the energy for a one-man trip to Mars. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/7 "2009-01-27T15:25:52Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > I suspect both the mass and velocity of gas the average person could rip out would be insufficient to give our putative astronaut the delta-V needed to move very far at any useful velocity. That stinks. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/8 "2009-01-27T16:18:08Z")
Ah, a suitable challenge. Some searching on the interwebs leads us to [this page](http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:HjP2K0ny7MkJ:mistupid.com/facts/page070.htm+speed+of+a+fart&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=uk) on farts, the veracity of which I cannot vouch for, but which seems reasonable. If we accept that people can fart at 10 ft /s (=3m/s, give or take), and that the average fart weighs [about 0.0464 gm](http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-194893.html) (which is 46.4 \* 10^-6 kg), the average momentum transfer from a single fart is about 1.39 \* 10 ^-4 kg m/s. For an average 60kg astronaut, his (or her, of course) velocity would be a rather pitiful 2.32 \* 10^-6 m/s. 2.32 micrometers per second isn’t going to get you anywhere much. So, in short, no, he could not fart his way back in the manner described, unless he was prepared to wait a long, long time. Did I mention that I love the internet? ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/9 "2009-01-27T16:33:11Z")
That’s all fine and dandy, **Dervorin** , but if he farted twice, he would be going _twice_ that fast. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/10 "2009-01-27T16:46:09Z")
An astronaut would be smart enough to squeeze their butt cheeks to maximize thrust and would probably figure out how to do thrust vectoring as well. He may get going so fast, he’d need to turn around and fart to slow down. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/11 "2009-01-27T17:13:13Z")
In space no one can smell you fart. ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/12 "2009-01-27T19:57:31Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > So, in short, no, he could not fart his way back in the manner described, unless he was prepared to wait a long, long time. I think given the terms described in the OP, the answer must be YES! The OP did not state a distance, but given that 6" may as well be 6 miles when you’re alone and separated from your spaceship, farting might just be a lifesaver. By the way, **Dervorin** , nice calculations every bit worthy of The Dope! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/13 "2009-01-27T20:08:24Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > An astronaut would be smart enough to squeeze their butt cheeks to maximize thrust and would probably figure out how to do thrust vectoring as well. That or he could [Dutch Boy](http://jasonkolb.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/little_dutch_boy.jpg) the hole with one of his fingers, thus creating an adjustable choke with a vector component. Whichever he chooses I hope he remembers that practice makes perfect. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/14 "2009-01-27T20:11:54Z")
What about a focused bout of sneezing then? 100mph of thrust would surely not go amiss in such a dire situation? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/15 "2009-01-27T20:15:15Z")
Too pedestrian. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/16 "2009-01-27T20:17:41Z")
> [@Jolly\_Roger](#): > > In space no one can smell you fart. Just as well. No one wants to. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/17 "2009-01-27T20:37:32Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > What about a focused bout of sneezing then? 100mph of thrust would surely not go amiss in such a dire situation? You’d probably get the greatest amount of reaction mass with spitting. You could probably get a good 100 grams by hurking a huge glob of snot. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/18 "2009-01-27T20:41:30Z")
Liquid propulsion systems would have a higher specific impulse. Just open that little flap in front of the pressurized union suit. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/19 "2009-01-27T22:58:46Z")
one of my favourite star trek book quotes was (and still is) “klingons fart in air locks”. they do have a scary diet. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223/20 "2009-01-28T00:17:49Z")
Time to remember our monkey roots and fling poo. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-astronaut-fart-himself-back-to-the-space-capsule/483223.md?page=2)