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Man hits vacuum
Vacuum hits back
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Newton's third law doesn't work like that. If it did, rocket ships couldn't work.
A gun (ignoring pulse rifles for the moment as they're, you know, impossible) shoots a bullet in one direction. At the same time, the bullet imparts an equal force on the hammer/back of the barrel. Similarly, burning gases may shoot out of a rocket's exhaust, but that's not what provides the force; it's the fact that they're burning inside the engine and pushing upwards.
A rocket/bullet/energy pulse doesn't need an atmosphere to push against. It's alreay imposing a force on the thing it's being emitted from.