Posted on 08/09/2011 7:10:48 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
TO infinity and beyond?
We may not have any viable alternative fuel sources here on Earth yet, but scientists may have discovered an alternative – in space.
Researchers at the Pamela satellite (Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics), discovered the largest known collection of anti-matter near Earth, trapped between the Van Allen belts.
The Van Allen belts are a series of donut-shaped rings containing positively charged particles trapped by cosmic rays, solar winds and Earth's magnetic field.
The belts themselves are formed by the particles “smashing” into molecules that make up Earth’s atmosphere, causing showers of particles. It is only after some of the anti-matter escapes the belt and comes into contact with normal matter in the atmosphere that the anti-matter is destroyed in a flash of light.
It is thought that that reaction could create enough energy to power a spacecraft.
The team hope the discovery can be harnessed as a fuel source in time for DARPA's 100-year Starship program.
In a study for NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts, scientists discuss the benefits of using anti-matter as a fuel source.
“The revolutionary potential of this technology is due to the fact that antiparticles release an enormous amount of energy when they come into contact with regular matter,” the scientists wrote.
“The energy density is two to three orders of magnitude higher than nuclear reactions and nearly ten orders of magnitude greater than the best chemical propellants used in spacecraft such as the space shuttle.”
(Excerpt) Read more at heraldsun.com.au ...
Actually you make a great point and have pointed out a flaw where design (conceptual) is a second problem to be dealt with ... imho
It is the energy source of the future - if there is such a future it is still a long long way away.
Yea, it probably wont be in our time, but was thinking all those UFO sightings, they were probably just fuling up when sighted, oh, well
Note my courtesies...
Actually, it may be surmountable in this way: the first photon flies out the back, and the second to the front. The second photon bounces off a lens and transfers its momentum to the spacecraft. (The first's energy is lost.) It follows the first out the back.
Now this scheme depends upon the photons lining up front-and-back. As for that necessary, I don't have a clue as to how it can be arranged. I don't even know if photons can be said to have a mass to transfer momentum with.
“How does that help induce net kinetic energy in one directon?”
I think the idea is, that the reaction would have to occur just behind the craft, so that some of the energy released would hit the craft, which could reflect it, transferring only a fraction of the momentum to the ship in a forward direction. The energy going in the other direction just keeps going and is effectively lost. Basically, there is so much energy released, that even if you only capture a little bit of it, it’s still more efficient than any other fuel source.
Yes, photons have momentum. Conservation of momentum is not just a good idea - it’s the law!
The team hope the discovery can be harnessed as a fuel source in time for DARPA's 100-year Starship program.Reminds of an old joke. Goes something like:
If you've invented a carburetor that'll get 200 mpg but need funding to develop it, don't go to DARPA.btw, who do you think runs Area-51 / Groom Lake.But, if if you have an idea for a 'Starship that runs on anti-matter', DARPA will throw Billions at you.'
hint -- it ain't the CIA or USAF.
also, DARPA has their OWN 'Security Force'. The operative word being 'Force'.
Read “The Electric Universe”.
The understanding of the creation eludes all of us but God. I strongly believe though after the creation, humans were meant to discover those things which God had created. Humans search, of the universe, is perhaps like a grand scavenger hunt. Perhaps God thought after the creation, this ought to keep my children busy for a while making discoveries, while other plains and other dimensions within the creation must exist into infinity. For I believe God is constantly painting the universe with his brush, the awesome canvass we see and do not see speaks to us and we want to understand and discovery. God is creation. Thus I doubt God ever stops creating. Human can only pray God doesn't decide to crumple up the canvass, in His hand, and throw his awesome canvass into his wastepaper basket, or run it through His shredder. That might hurt.
Making a little fun here, everyone. Hope I did not offend anyone especially God.
Thank You for the provided link. Went there and read the link and didn’t understand most or any of the information. Thank You though. Sometimes God wants all of His children to be confused, possibly.
It’d really open up the solar system to us if we could collect enough antimatter AND do the engineering needed to contain and utilize it. Ten micrograms would allow us to send a 100-ton payload on a one-year round trip journey to Jupiter where, presumably, much higher concentrations of antimatter are to be found... And we’d be on our way!
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.