EM Drive

Pyro Pilots Lounge. For all topics *not* covered in other DBB forums.

Moderators: fliptw, roid

Post Reply
User avatar
woodchip
DBB Benefactor
DBB Benefactor
Posts: 17673
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 1999 2:01 am

EM Drive

Post by woodchip »

Any thoughts on this:

Interplanetary travel could be a step closer after scientists confirmed that an electromagnetic propulsion drive, which is fast enough to get to the Moon in four hours, actually works.

However in recent years Nasa has confirmed that they believe it works and this week Martin Tajmar, a professor and chair for Space Systems at Dresden University of Technology in Germany also showed that it produces thrust.

The drive is capable of producing thrust several thousand times greater than even a photon rocket and could get to Mars within 70 days or Pluto within 18 months. A trip to Alpha Centauri, which would take tens of thousands of years to reach right now, could be reached in just 100 years.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science ... hours.html
Liberal speak: "Convenience for you means control for him, free and the price is astronomical, you're the product for sale". Neil Oliver

Leftist are Evil, and Liberals keep voting for them. Dennis Prager
User avatar
Sirius
DBB Master
DBB Master
Posts: 5616
Joined: Fri May 28, 1999 2:01 am
Location: Bellevue, WA
Contact:

Re: EM Drive

Post by Sirius »

Well, we'll see I guess. Would be great if it works, but first you have to scale it up and then you have to test it...

Propulsion research is probably the most useful area to look at for space now though - exploring the outer solar system is prohibitively difficult because the missions have to be so long - things like this could be the solution to that problem.

Though the other big issue is getting things into space in the first place... if we could get re-usable SSTO launch vehicles that would make a big difference there, and there are some promising developments on that front as well.
User avatar
Ferno
DBB Commie Anarchist Thug
DBB Commie Anarchist Thug
Posts: 15012
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 1998 3:01 am

Re: EM Drive

Post by Ferno »

well, there's our impulse drive. Next thing to do is design a large cruiser-esque ship.
User avatar
woodchip
DBB Benefactor
DBB Benefactor
Posts: 17673
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 1999 2:01 am

Re: EM Drive

Post by woodchip »

Out of curiosity, could this type engine power electrical generators?
Liberal speak: "Convenience for you means control for him, free and the price is astronomical, you're the product for sale". Neil Oliver

Leftist are Evil, and Liberals keep voting for them. Dennis Prager
User avatar
Avder
DBB Material Defender
DBB Material Defender
Posts: 4926
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 1999 2:01 am
Location: Moorhead, MN

Re: EM Drive

Post by Avder »

I'm still wondering just how the hell it works. It violates established scientific laws and no one knows how.

Absolutely fascinating to know that there's something big involved and this drive is the first clue we've got about it.
User avatar
Krom
DBB Database Master
DBB Database Master
Posts: 16039
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 1998 3:01 am
Location: Camping the energy center. BTW, did you know you can have up to 100 characters in this location box?
Contact:

Re: EM Drive

Post by Krom »

woodchip wrote:Out of curiosity, could this type engine power electrical generators?
Probably not that kind of engine. Although it is confusing as hell because nobody really says what it actually does. But usually the way they phrase it, you put energy of one form into this engine and it transforms that to a different form of energy for you (so whatever fuel you put in becomes propulsion).
User avatar
Duper
DBB Master
DBB Master
Posts: 9214
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2001 3:01 am
Location: Beaverton, Oregon USA

Re: EM Drive

Post by Duper »

Here's a good explanation.
http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/08/emdriv ... ginal.html

There are a couple of links within the post that prove greater detail.
Post Reply