New paper claims that the EM Drive doesn't defy Newton's 3rd law after all

Science Alert ^ | June 16, 2016 | Fiona MacDonald

[InterceptPoint]

Seems to me that since energy conservation must hold that a measurement of the energy sources and sinks should be enough to validate the theory.

Am I over simplifying the problem?

[doorgunner69]

Light at microwave lengths

Light as in visible light frequencies or microwaves as in microwave frequencies? Both electromagnetic waves of course, but vastly different frequencies as commonly termed.

P!ss poor phrasing if it came from a scientist.

[BeauBo]

“What produces the electromagnetic waves?”

Although you could use solar cells close to a star, nukes are the real powerhouses.

Once you get outside the asteroid belt, solar cells don’t get much of a jolt. For Earth to Moon or orbital operations, they could be workhorses.

Nuclear reactors could give many orders of magnitude greater thrust to weight ratios than rocket fuel (or solar cells, in almost any scenario).

For example, a reactor the size of two five gallon buckets, could produce megawatts of electricity for ten years with exceptional reliability.

[Wingy]

Thank you. The Bill Nye mention jumped off the page at me too. I also read Boys Life, and was going to get revved up to write something, but I came upon your post. You did a better job (by far) than I was going to.

[DennisR]

Die...if they even made it there. Not likely, considering that the average lifespan is about 80 years, and who is going to someone out there unless they are at least 21. So 92 - 21 = 71; ergo, they would be dead for about 21 years; in the truest sense of the words, they would be DOA. Ew...

[Swordmaker]

Electric Universe PING! For the Electromagnetic Drive that supposedly can drive a spaceship to Mars in just weeks instead of months. . . Some say by breaking the laws of physics. A new paper claims it doesn't have to break physical laws to work. PING!

If you want on or off the Electric Universe Ping List, Freepmail me.

[farming pharmer]

it's also the idea that Bill Nye's solar sail is based on

Referencing Bill Nye in any serious discussion is a credibility problem for the author. Someone should write this chick and tell her who Arthur C. Clark was.

[Swordmaker]

If the trip is 92 years, I am thinking you are not coming back.

I'm thinking if the trip is 92 years, you are not even arriving. Some kid born on the journey is arriving.

[ModelBreaker]

“...it’s also the idea that Bill Nye’s solar sail is based on.” Bill Nye the science guy? He wasn’t born when the solar sail was conceived.

[thoughtomator]

Since when does that matter in the brave new world of celebrity sciencism?

[BitWielder1]

If that's the case, what we have here is a photon drive.
They can stop researching exotic microwave cavities and just shine a really bright flashlight or microwave beam out the tail end of the spacecraft.
Photon drives have been theorized for decades, the real problem is, as always, the energy source.

[Velvet_Jones]

Here’s the real problem:

A bunch of lazy scientists are worried that they might have to go out and get real jobs, so they’ve come up with anothe justification to continue funding for their phones-baloney idea that everyone knows will never work.

I hope this explains the problem to everyone’s satisfaction.

[Vermont Lt]

I am thinking some kind of stasis. I know it sounds like sci-if but I read something about it a little while back. It is being worked on for medical applications ( such as induced comas.)

[Lurker]

+1.

L

[jdsteel]

“If the trip is 92 years, I am thinking you are not coming back.”

Depends on how fast you are going. Time would pass by less quickly as the folks in the ship go faster and faster. At least that’s the theory, and If I remember right it’s been observed.

[Vermont Lt]

I am not a physicist. But I doubt if they will be approaching the speed of light.

[Blood of Tyrants]

It would have to be a multi-gerneration spaceship completely capable of being self sustaining and of manufacturing parts to repair it with.

[going hot]

Put her in reverse.

[wafflehouse]

well that depends on your reference frame and relative speed, now doesnt it?

[DennisR]

Yup...