Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why DARPA Is Betting a Million Bucks on an "Impossible" Space Drive
Popular Mechanics ^ | 11/2/18 | David Hambling

Posted on 11/02/2018 2:06:22 PM PDT by LibWhacker

Edited on 11/02/2018 2:27:30 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

Agency responsible with filling the government's coffers with cutting-edge tech is funding a controversial drive that's based on unproven science.

The law of conservation of momentum says that a rocket (or anything else) can't accelerate forward without some form of exhaust ejected backward. But in 1998, a British engineer named Roger Shawyer announced the seemingly impossible

(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: astronomy; darpa; drive; electrogravitics; electromagneticdrive; emdrive; impossible; mdrive; newtonsthirdlaw; propellentlessdrive; rogershawyer; science; spaceexploration; stringtheory
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-46 next last
To: Chainmail

We are already beyond Einstein.
QM.
Quantum Entanglement.
The Tunnel Effect.
And more.

John Bell proved that Either Einstein’s local universe theory was correct or Quantum logic was correct, then he proved that indeed, Quantum Logic was correct.


21 posted on 11/02/2018 2:45:04 PM PDT by djf ("She wore a raspberry beret, the kind you find in a second hand store..." - Prince)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: BitWielder1
In the spirit of defying physics and people WANTING to BELIEVE, whatever happened to the "Energy Catalyzer" (the "E-Cat"), Andrea Rossi's claimed cold fusion reactor? It was all the rage for a few years, then quietly disappeared.

The "Impossible Space Drive," the E-Cat, and "Q." All birds of a feather.

22 posted on 11/02/2018 2:56:10 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: LibWhacker

Someone needs to invent a Spindizzy interstellar drive.


23 posted on 11/02/2018 2:59:53 PM PDT by rbg81 (Truth is stranger than fiction)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fai Mao
The microwave generator has no recoil.

Not so. On high-power communication satellites with large asymmetric transmit antennas, pumping out kilowatts of microwaves requires continuous attitude compensation to counteract the recoil. Recoil of course happens on all comm satellites but at low power and with reasonable symmetry it becomes a lower order factor.

24 posted on 11/02/2018 3:02:16 PM PDT by SFConservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: SFConservative

So, would a counter spring, or flywheel of some sort mitigate the recoil?


25 posted on 11/02/2018 3:11:51 PM PDT by Fai Mao (There is no rule of law in the US until The PIAPS is executed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Fai Mao
"You can actually move a car, or get it to bounce or rock slightly if you rock back and forth in the back seat hitting the seat back with each oscillation.

But, you have to have intermittent, not steady pressure."

I believe that Bill Clinton has tried this experiment in his old El Camino many times.

26 posted on 11/02/2018 3:13:43 PM PDT by Neanderthal (As you import the third world, you become the third world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: BitWielder1
"it might be interesting to know why it appears to work in defiance of known physics."

Easy peasy. It's creating dark matter and using that to generate its thrust. Just because its reaction mass is invisible and undetectable doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Dark matter/energy are the answers to all sorts of conundrums these days.
27 posted on 11/02/2018 3:17:56 PM PDT by Garth Tater (What's mine is mine.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: LibWhacker

If the investment is good enough but prudent enough, the result may wind up proving the EMdrive will not work, while still making some useful discoveries along the way, that could apply to space vehicle propulsion or some unrelated matter. That is what good science does many times. Unexpected results and even accidents sometimes make for scientific revelations.


28 posted on 11/02/2018 3:25:22 PM PDT by Wuli
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rbg81

Blieder drive. sniff


29 posted on 11/02/2018 3:27:52 PM PDT by null and void (Don't argue with the keyboard warriors. They know their delusions better than you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

“In the spirit of defying physics and people WANTING to BELIEVE, whatever happened to the “Energy Catalyzer” (the “E-Cat”), Andrea Rossi’s claimed cold fusion reactor? It was all the rage for a few years, then quietly disappeared.”

Rossi possibly received a National Security letter citing the Invention Secrecy Act and now the idea is locked away to make sure that no one can use it.


30 posted on 11/02/2018 3:29:44 PM PDT by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Wuli
If the investment is good enough but prudent enough, the result may wind up proving the EMdrive will not work, while still making some useful discoveries along the way, that could apply to space vehicle propulsion or some unrelated matter. That is what good science does many times. Unexpected results and even accidents sometimes make for scientific revelations.

We do not know what we do not know.

Much scientific advancement has occurred while attempting to explain small inconsistencies in the data.

31 posted on 11/02/2018 3:30:24 PM PDT by marktwain (President Trump and his supporters are the Resistance. His opponents are the Reactionaries.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: BitWielder1

Not really. Standing waves of microwave radiation. It defies NEWTONIAN physics, but that’s just a close approximation of actual physics in low-energy domains. . .


32 posted on 11/02/2018 3:42:26 PM PDT by Salgak (You're in Strange Hands with Tom Stranger. . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

All the rabbit-hole that you can handle.

http://www.rossilivecat.com/

http://e-catworld.com/


33 posted on 11/02/2018 3:44:01 PM PDT by Ozark Tom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Fai Mao
So, would a counter spring, or flywheel of some sort mitigate the recoil?

To keep the system pointed, a flywheel or momentum wheel can be spun up gradually to offset the recoil torque. But when it nears its maximum rated speed its accumulated momentum must be unloaded. To do that you have to expend energy such as firing thrusters in the appropriate direction. So there is no free lunch; conservation of energy and momentum is real in the real world.

34 posted on 11/02/2018 3:54:35 PM PDT by SFConservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Manly Warrior

No system gets launched until the paperwork is done. I suggest that you ask for a lot more money to cover the cost of the mountain of paper required.


35 posted on 11/02/2018 4:33:37 PM PDT by Purdue77 (Okay, I'm too cheap to afford a tag line.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Manly Warrior

Your proposal is going into the dead letter bin unless you have a trannie on board. Get a midget, too. Midgets are worth lots of points.

I know how to write grant proposals that get funded. Send me a $168,000 retainer fee and I can guarantee your success.


36 posted on 11/02/2018 4:42:21 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Paladin2
There is always Cold Fusion to perfect.

I haven't seen any cold fusion scam threads in a while. And even longer for 'peak oil'.

37 posted on 11/02/2018 5:37:15 PM PDT by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: RatRipper

Mikey Moore should be rendered first, for the children and the Erf....


38 posted on 11/02/2018 5:41:57 PM PDT by Paladin2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Fai Mao

Sorry, if the pistol is mounted or held inside the vehicle, the same force of the bullet moving through the air and or hitting a solid plate will be offset by the recoil moment ( equal and opposite force). So, no joy there. Same for rocking back and forth- in a car etc the same amount of energy is applied in both directions. That’s the thing about the laws of physics- they are really hard to break. some old white guy made us all subject to them....


39 posted on 11/02/2018 7:33:09 PM PDT by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret), "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

Me too, I think my other granddaughter is part minority, and my wife is at least 1/24th American Indian (Penobscot). And, I wrote proposals too, so ….


40 posted on 11/02/2018 7:37:04 PM PDT by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret), "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-46 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson