We are not going to the stars considering the distances involved. Mars, yes. Flybyes to Jupiter and Saturn. Probably. Neptune, Pluto (Yes, I’m old school), Uranus. No reason to go there. Satellites have done the job this year.
Venus - too hot. Mercury - Way to hot.
Moons around the planets. Some, yes. Some are dangerous.
This all assumes that mankind is still around in the near future. With No. Korea and Iran still unleashed, I’m not taking any bets.
for later...
Whether it works or not it won’t let us reach the stars. It might get us to Mars.
Well, it will let us reach the stars if it works, but not in an efficient time span.
Personally I don’t believe any human that will ever exist will feel the light of an alien star on their skin.
Thanks for posting. (In)credible science.
I’ve been following the EM drive for years and the only successful tests registered thrust below the margin for measurement error. It’s not real.
I thought the effect was well understood.
The effect appears to be the result of enthalpy conservation in a moving frame of reference.
In a vortex, the outer edges of the system moves at a higher velocity than at the axis.
In an EmDrive I would expect that radiation emitted from the wide end of the cone to transfer more kinetic energy from radiation pressure than the radiation emitted from the narrow end of the cone.
Bookmark.
Back in the day I had a D&D Spelljammer ship that had a similar means of propulsion.
Magic from my youth becomes science of today.
Is it impossible or just highly improbable? Maybe a cup of really hot tea?
400 years ago out-of-control European explorers violated he rights of indigenous America. Now FReepers are excited to violate the rights of rocks and minerals on new frontiers. :)
Mark
Has anyone calculated how long it takes to get up to the speed of light without putting humans under unnatural G forces? Then, calculate the time it takes to slow down. Our present natural gravitational force is 16 feet/second squared.
Even if this works, what power source is used to generate the MW field? How much current is needed to create and effective thrust? How efficient is it? Does it require a power cord running to a nuclear station on earth ( sarc)?
If the force produced is in fact real, how “forceful” is it? ( Will it take moments or years to accelerate to useful velocity?)
Why not invent diLithium crystals and Warp dives? Or even impulse drives? We could plod along at .5 C at least, in “ limp home” mode. Oh, yeah, and invent hibernation too, or else we need cattle and hydroponic fields to tag along for the eons it would take to get anywhere....
2001 (a Space Odyssey) is already 16 years past and here we are still anchored to earth. C’mon scientists, get off your fourth points of contact!
Respectfully,
Luddite