Space Station Crew Can Access Gun

[-terry]

They'd better have a CCW.

 

[SDC]

You gotta wonder how many rounds they have?

Protection from wolves aside, murder/suicide in case the ship can't be recovered? I know I'd rather take one to the head than die a slow painful death in space.

From the pic of the kit "as-issued", it doesn't appear to be very much; maybe 10 shotshells, 5 flares, and 10 rifle cartridges. If someone WAS stuck in space and wanted to end it, they'd just need to open one of the many valves or ports to space, instead of fooling around with a gun.

 

[Mike OTDP]

Trust me, if they were stuck in space, those guys would go down trying to figure a solution...not that it's a big issue with the station in orbit.

 

[Joe Demko]

Looking at the pictures, the piece has the look of something that was mass-produced. It isn't something hand-made by craftsmen. One wonders whether it was survival gear for Russian pilots and personnel besides cosmonauts.

 

[ColinthePilot]

YES 72%
NO 28%

Just one more thing that can make the news and up their sensationalist ratings.

I give up.

 

[Patrick123]

Percentage of 2898 Votes
Yes 2107 73%
No 791 27%

 

[kd7nqb]

The gun is clearly not there for use in space its for a bad landing in a survival kit. Also lets remember that all the US astronauts are active duty military. This means they are still required to qualify with firearms.

 

[akodo]

I've heard that the survival gun ended up being used a time or two in space....the machette end. It was used to hack through some material to create something or other to replace something or other. I don't remember the details beyond it was a stop-gap repair, and the tool kit didn't contain the appropraite cutting instrument, it hand wrenches and torches and screwdrivers but no saw type instruments.

You never know what tool will come in handy. Who knows, maybe someday they will need to punch a couple holes in something without getting too close.

and that makes me think, couldn't you create a gun with an empty tube and some of those exploding bolts?...i was thinking first along the lines of jurry rigging a long distance hole puncher without a firearm on board, and a tool is just a tool, be it a generic long distance hole puncher or one carrying the moniker 'gun' and any generic long distance hole puncher could also be put to nefarious usage

 

[BlackBearME]

This is news? How is this sensational?

********

"Man, what are you doing with a gun in space?"

I'm surprised no one got there yet. Is it that obscure?



I'm also particularly impressed with the copying of the bottom of the news story:

Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

[woodybrighton]

you'd want some like the old gyrojet pistol for actual person to person combat in space very little recoil

 

[SDC]

Looking at the pictures, the piece has the look of something that was mass-produced. It isn't something hand-made by craftsmen. One wonders whether it was survival gear for Russian pilots and personnel besides cosmonauts.

Yes, this pistol is supposed to be part of the "bail-out bag" that is attached to Russian pilots' ejection seats.