Could Star Fox really do a barrel roll in space? Take a look at the science and physics behind the character's iconic move.

Star Fox is one of Nintendo's popular franchises that fans absolutely love to play. With the release of a Star Fox game coming up on the Wii U this video seems perfectly timed. Throughout the iconic game Star Fox 64 there are a lot of memorable quotes but one of the best is "Do a barrel roll!" It is a move that becomes very important in the game. We know that doing a barrel roll in a jet in real life is easy but what about a barrel roll in space like in the game? Is it possible to do a barrel roll in space?

"DO A BARREL ROLL! Or at least, try…? The iconic move from Star Fox seems so easy, just press a button and BOOM. The ship rolls. But HOW? Barrel rolls in atmosphere are easy to execute with the use of ailerons, but in space, it’s a different issue altogether. With no atmosphere (and no thrusters), how does one Barrel Roll like Star Fox in space?"

It should also be noted that technically what Fox is doing in this game is not a barrel roll. It is an aileron roll which is completely different.

Warning! This video goes into some deep sciencific discussions. Enjoy!



Source: YouTube - PBS Space Time