If I'm standing on a space shuttle (in outer space) will it move if I jump off?

Question

Suppose I'm standing in a crouched position on a large space craft in outer space. If I jump away from the space craft, will it move from its original position as I drift off into space?

Answer 1

Conservation of momentum:

m1v1=m2v2

v2=m1v1/m2          (shuttle velocity in the opposite direction)

m2 is the mass of the space shuttle and m1 is your mass and v1 is your velocity.

The resulting velocity of the shuttle would be about 0.1 millimeter per second.  Over the next ten minutes the shuttle would have moved about 6 cm.

It would move a tiny amount but not much because it is much more massive than you.  Also you wouldn't be able to put quite the same force into your jump as you would on earth due to lack of gravity, maybe 25% less.

You could produce a rotational movement if you jumped from the far tip of the wing.  Very small.

Answer 2

Momentum and Newton say yes. Though probably very slightly.  And depending on what the shuttle is made of.

Momentum: If you're standing there, the overall momentum is zero. When you push off, the overall momentum must be zero, though yours is clearly not zero.  Thus the shuttle must have the momentum if the opposite direction that is equal to yours.

Newton: Forces come in equal and opposite pairs.  In order for you to push off of the shuttle, you exert a force on the shuttle, which pushes it in the opposite direction you are going.

Though, if the shuttle has sufficient vibration reduction (think trampoline, eventually it stops bouncing) it may not move because your force and subsequent acceleration given to the shuttle might be dampened and turned into heat.