Warp Drive could Become Science fact - NASA small scale testing underway

[ZenX]

It is feasible for the travel of a peanut...

Anyone else think it's a bit crazy how similar the proposed "ship" design is to a Vulcan cruiser?

Guess the art directors back then were really visionary.

[Falrinn]

Its still early days of our civilization, whos to say whats impossible and possible yet regarding interstellar travel. Give it some time and the answers will come.

For the record, I think there are ways of doing FTL. We just havent discovered it...yet. Give it some time. A little over a hundred years ago we were still pulling carts with horses.

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if studying the concept for the hypothetical Alcubierre drive is at least part of what leads to true FTL. The original theory wasn't really practical since it would demand more energy then exists in the entire universe to maintain. While the newest version of the theory still demands far more energy then humanity has ever produced, it's not completely unattainable and we could even have a proof of concept on a small scale.

If the theory can be refined further, and we can somehow get our hands on the exotic materials needed to create the warp bubble, then we might just be able to make a true FTL drive much sooner then we would otherwise expect. Probably not fast enough for people alive today to see it beyond a proof-of-concept, but perhaps our great-grandchildren could see the real deal.

[Deleted]

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if studying the concept for the hypothetical Alcubierre drive is at least part of what leads to true FTL. The original theory wasn't really practical since it would demand more energy then exists in the entire universe to maintain. While the newest version of the theory still demands far more energy then humanity has ever produced, it's not completely unattainable and we could even have a proof of concept on a small scale.

If the theory can be refined further, and we can somehow get our hands on the exotic materials needed to create the warp bubble, then we might just be able to make a true FTL drive much sooner then we would otherwise expect. Probably not fast enough for people alive today to see it beyond a proof-of-concept, but perhaps our great-grandchildren could see the real deal.

Or perhaps their great grandchildren. It might take a thousand years or more but im pretty confident we can eventually achieve FTL. If we survive our infancy as a civilization, that is.

"Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot remain in the cradle forever." - Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

[Raphtheone]

If we've had the foresight to document Warp Drive, and all other stuff that later turned out to be true (assuming this turns out to be true) and put into entertainment (TV, games, etc), I say, if we find an obelisk on another planet (or any sign of an ancient civilization), don't investigate, just nuke the planet to bits and don't look back.

[oblivionx]

If only we could discover a extra dimensional power source we could just tap into to provide all our energy needs.

The gods themselves, Asimov.

[Adam Jensen]

If we've had the foresight to document Warp Drive, and all other stuff that later turned out to be true (assuming this turns out to be true) and put into entertainment (TV, games, etc), I say, if we find an obelisk on another planet (or any sign of an ancient civilization), don't investigate, just nuke the planet to bits and don't look back.

Damn Protheans.

[oblivionx]

Regardless of the theoretical warp drive, I still thought it has to be made out of exotic matter... you know matter we don't currently know if it exists or where it exists if it does.

[Lovestar]

You'd need to convert a planet the size of Jupiter into pure energy to generate a field strong enough to propel a ship at speed of light

Oh my gosh, I think we have a planet the size of Jupiter lying around in our solar system! Space travel, here I come!

[semaphore]

Regardless of the theoretical warp drive, I still thought it has to be made out of exotic matter... you know matter we don't currently know if it exists or where it exists if it does.

The problem is that it needs matter with negative energy to work, which is not exactly allowed under current laws of physics. Hence why it's only ever been a hypothetical idea (thought that doesn't stop physicists talking about rather minor issues like dealing with the lethal radiation in such an entirely hypothetical ship...).

[Gheld]

fraking velocities of up to 10c!

Round trip to proxima centauri in 0.85 years. A definite improvement over our current limitations, but still hardly the whole Star Trek fantasy.

10 times the speed of light would be a mere Warp 2.15. We would be the laughing stock of the federation!

[oblivionx]

Round trip to proxima centauri in 0.85 years. A definite improvement over our current limitations, but still hardly the whole Star Trek fantasy.

10 times the speed of light would be a mere Warp 2.15. We would be the laughing stock of the federation!

Our current max speed in space would take 4000 years or more haha.

[Reeve]

Round trip to proxima centauri in 0.85 years. A definite improvement over our current limitations, but still hardly the whole Star Trek fantasy.

10 times the speed of light would be a mere Warp 2.15. We would be the laughing stock of the federation!

I believe the NX-01 Enterprise could only pull Warp 4. Technology improves. I'd be pretty damned happy with Warp 2.15.

[Gheld]

I believe the NX-01 Enterprise could only pull Warp 4. Technology improves. I'd be pretty damned happy with Warp 2.15.

warp factor is cubed.

so Warp 2 would be 8 times the speed of light. Warp 4 would be 64 times the speed of light.

That's light years away. pun intended.

[Annapolis]

I found this article misleading. It seems to indicate that warp drive is a certainty if we just build a large enough machine in space. It made it seem that the limiting factor is not theory, but just building stuff. However if you watch http://www.space.com/16413-star-trek...yet-video.html you can clearly see that the man involved in the project has only theories and no proof.

With that said it is of course an interesting theory, but one man isn't going to change my view of space-time.

[oblivionx]

I believe the NX-01 Enterprise could only pull Warp 4. Technology improves. I'd be pretty damned happy with Warp 2.15.

Looking at physics and our capabilities realistically I would be happy with .25 lightspeed.

I love science fiction, but I never forget the fiction part.

It's not just the speed at issue, it's the fact that a micrometeorite at those speed is hitting the ship like an atomic explosion.

[Stalemate]

Ludicrous speed!

[Annapolis]

It means hes read that long ago theory that of the electric universe which completely failed under observation. The Tesla nuts caught on to it and claimed science is holding back the truth and so a conspiracy was born. The electric universe marches on years after it was found to not be able to explain any observations and in fact be wrong about many things by followers who wont accept reality.


As for this. Theres no link to any paper so its all talk. Nothign wrong with talk and nothign wrong with having dreams but theres nothing there that is noteworthy or exciting in any way.

So you're calling the entire science community a religious cult because of one article you read "long ago"?

[Reeve]

Looking at physics and our capabilities realistically I would be happy with .25 lightspeed.

I love science fiction, but I never forget the fiction part.

It's not just the speed at issue, it's the fact that a micrometeorite at those speed is hitting the ship like an atomic explosion.

That's why we need a deflector array! I don't remember where, but I remember reading that some NASA scientist had already worked out how to do that.

[kynthrus]

Cubert J. Farnsworth: "Nothing's a complete load! Not if you can imagine it. That's what being a scientist is all about. "
its engines move the universe around it. This is made possible in part by its incredible dark matter reactor equipped with afterburners providing 200% fuel efficiency

[Gheld]

Looking at physics and our capabilities realistically I would be happy with .25 lightspeed.

I love science fiction, but I never forget the fiction part.

It's not just the speed at issue, it's the fact that a micrometeorite at those speed is hitting the ship like an atomic explosion.

You're missing the true beauty of the Alcubierre drive though.

Even at insane velocities like Warp 5 (125c) the kinetic energy of your own craft is 0 because you aren't undergoing any sort of motion.

So a small fleck of rock will hit you as though you were standing still (Because you are).

The warp bubble itself is probably so energetic that it would act as a shield, and obliterate any matter that gets in its way.