Greetings Folks.
If you have been stuck under a rock somewhere in another system for the past few years, you probably haven't heard of the EmDrive.
For the rest of you, it now seems to be really taking off!
For those unfamiliar with the topic, The EmDrive is a relatively new drive technology that is being examined around the world at the moment. Originally ridiculed, its inventor, Rodger Shawyer, is a British Satellite engineer who has really, really kept at it. Using a closed cavity called a "Frustum" a microwave signal is artificially generated within. Normally, one would expect nothing more than having a warm meal after unscrewing it.
However - That doesn't seem to be happening. (at least I know of no-one who has tried cooking dinner in it!) What does seem to be happening is that it is creating a thrust - and this is very important because:
A: Its a closed system. Nothing gets out of it! So how can the darned thing move? That's breaking a pretty fundamental tenant of physics, Newton's third law. That really - is a big problem.
B: It uses no fuel - Only electricity - So if it actually works, say goodbye to fuel needs for travelling in outer space. Just strap that solar panel or generator on!
C: Many people have said that it is a thermal thrust produced by something we have missed. (After we have tried really, really hard NOT to miss it) But here's the thing. Heat travels UP in an atmosphere. No matter what orientation we put it in... It still produces the same thrust. That kinda... kills that argument.
Im writing this, because I want to give folks a ray of hope for the New Year. I want them to forget about Trump, Syria and so much other stuff. It is something that is now beginning to worry pretty much every stoic scientist. Its no joke anymore.
And hope is a fine thing.
Here is an article from GeekWire:
http://www.geekwire.com/2016/impossible-emdrive-thruster-attracts-attention-skeptics/
As im somewhat involved, I can give you a few heads up.
1: We still don't know how it works. To be frank, we haven't a clue. Work in progress with some pretty intense ideas being dallied about. Paired Photons, Wave theory and even Dark Matter gets a peek in.
1b: Probably going to a combination of relatively normal factors, and Newtons third law stays intact.
2: The Chinese apparently have two in orbit. One on the "Tiangong 2" Station and another on a satellite. At least that's what CAST (or the China Academy of Space Technology) stated at a press conference recently.
2b: They have also stated that the want to get the technology into Chinese satellites as soon as possible.
2c: The Americans might be at it as well - on board the X-37 - Although this is a rumor.
3: Cannae -A direct competitor of the original inventors company (Rodger Shawyer's company "SPR") Are sending a CubeSat up next year to see if it stays for 6 months in LEO (Low Earth Orbit) If it does, Awesome. If not... Not good.
If it doesn't work, it will burn up after a few weeks.
3a: They (Cannae) also have a utterly awesome plan to launch a REAL (If this tech works) INTERSTELLAR(ish) Vehicle in the next few years. I cant rightly call it a "Probe" because all it will apparently do - Is go really, really fast--- 0.1% the speed of light over a 15 year period --- to a distance of 0.1 of a light-year.
This is quite a new challenge over on the NASA Advanced space flight Propulsion forums - A few people have now realized that actually communicating with the craft -as it is so distant and travelling so fast - is going to be extremely difficult. Its mainly a technical problem due to red shifting of signal. Could put micro-satellite relays on board, but that will increase the mass and naturally - slow it down.
But - I tell you what - It is awesome fun - to actually be in this situation and need to figure these things out!
Here is wishing you lot a full and vibrant new year, with open eyes and a open heart.
And less pessimism!
X
Gyp.
If you have been stuck under a rock somewhere in another system for the past few years, you probably haven't heard of the EmDrive.
For the rest of you, it now seems to be really taking off!
For those unfamiliar with the topic, The EmDrive is a relatively new drive technology that is being examined around the world at the moment. Originally ridiculed, its inventor, Rodger Shawyer, is a British Satellite engineer who has really, really kept at it. Using a closed cavity called a "Frustum" a microwave signal is artificially generated within. Normally, one would expect nothing more than having a warm meal after unscrewing it.
However - That doesn't seem to be happening. (at least I know of no-one who has tried cooking dinner in it!) What does seem to be happening is that it is creating a thrust - and this is very important because:
A: Its a closed system. Nothing gets out of it! So how can the darned thing move? That's breaking a pretty fundamental tenant of physics, Newton's third law. That really - is a big problem.
B: It uses no fuel - Only electricity - So if it actually works, say goodbye to fuel needs for travelling in outer space. Just strap that solar panel or generator on!
C: Many people have said that it is a thermal thrust produced by something we have missed. (After we have tried really, really hard NOT to miss it) But here's the thing. Heat travels UP in an atmosphere. No matter what orientation we put it in... It still produces the same thrust. That kinda... kills that argument.
Im writing this, because I want to give folks a ray of hope for the New Year. I want them to forget about Trump, Syria and so much other stuff. It is something that is now beginning to worry pretty much every stoic scientist. Its no joke anymore.
And hope is a fine thing.
Here is an article from GeekWire:
http://www.geekwire.com/2016/impossible-emdrive-thruster-attracts-attention-skeptics/
As im somewhat involved, I can give you a few heads up.
1: We still don't know how it works. To be frank, we haven't a clue. Work in progress with some pretty intense ideas being dallied about. Paired Photons, Wave theory and even Dark Matter gets a peek in.
1b: Probably going to a combination of relatively normal factors, and Newtons third law stays intact.
2: The Chinese apparently have two in orbit. One on the "Tiangong 2" Station and another on a satellite. At least that's what CAST (or the China Academy of Space Technology) stated at a press conference recently.
2b: They have also stated that the want to get the technology into Chinese satellites as soon as possible.
2c: The Americans might be at it as well - on board the X-37 - Although this is a rumor.
3: Cannae -A direct competitor of the original inventors company (Rodger Shawyer's company "SPR") Are sending a CubeSat up next year to see if it stays for 6 months in LEO (Low Earth Orbit) If it does, Awesome. If not... Not good.
If it doesn't work, it will burn up after a few weeks.
3a: They (Cannae) also have a utterly awesome plan to launch a REAL (If this tech works) INTERSTELLAR(ish) Vehicle in the next few years. I cant rightly call it a "Probe" because all it will apparently do - Is go really, really fast--- 0.1% the speed of light over a 15 year period --- to a distance of 0.1 of a light-year.
This is quite a new challenge over on the NASA Advanced space flight Propulsion forums - A few people have now realized that actually communicating with the craft -as it is so distant and travelling so fast - is going to be extremely difficult. Its mainly a technical problem due to red shifting of signal. Could put micro-satellite relays on board, but that will increase the mass and naturally - slow it down.
But - I tell you what - It is awesome fun - to actually be in this situation and need to figure these things out!
Here is wishing you lot a full and vibrant new year, with open eyes and a open heart.
And less pessimism!
X
Gyp.
