[sit-rep]

question for the all knowing out there...

in atmosphere the speed is determined by the power of thrust against basicly air resistance. in space there is no resistance. so is it safe to assume that as long as the rocket is thrusting, the craft will continue to gain speed? and if so, to what end? i cant imagine if there was enough fuel for lengthy burn for the craft to reach light speed... ...or could it??

[Red Badger]

Once it gets moving in space it will not stop unless acted upon by an outside force, like Gravity...............

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

in atmosphere the speed is determined by the power of thrust against basicly air resistance. in space there is no resistance. so is it safe to assume that as long as the rocket is thrusting, the craft will continue to gain speed? and if so, to what end? i cant imagine if there was enough fuel for lengthy burn for the craft to reach light speed... ...or could it??

No.

The speed with which the burned fuel is ejected is finite, so the spacecraft cannot go faster than the exhaust.

[PIF]

i cant imagine if there was enough fuel for lengthy burn for the craft to reach light speed... ...or could it??
—

The faster an object goes, the more fuel it needs to go faster, the more fuel it needs to go faster the more massive the object, the more massive the object the more fuel ... etc.

[Neverlift]

“in space there is no resistance. so is it safe to assume that as long as the rocket is thrusting, the craft will continue to gain speed?

YES. Until you run out of fuel. Then it will coast at that speed indefinitely

F = M x A.