But while airplanes are incredible machines, there’s a major limit to their capabilities,they can’t go into space.So, why can’t airplanes make it past the atmosphere into space?

People have been flying airplanes for well over a century. Engineers know how to balance all the forces at play, but still aren’t exactly sure how some of the physics of flight actually works.

Another reason why planes don’t fly higher is due to the weight of the aircraft. “The more you weigh, the harder it is to get to a certain altitude,” says Jorgenson.