UK Engineer Develops a Propulsion Drive That Defies Physics - tested by NASA

[Deleted]

EMDrive by Robert Shawyer, Chartered Engineer, MIET, SPR Ltd, UK.

Latest news source: http://io9.com/new-test-suggests-nas...ork-1701188933
Background: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/...le-space-drive

NASA source: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/...stic-em-drive/
SPR Ltd's techie site for EMDrive: http://www.emdrive.com
EMDrive FAQ: http://emdrive.com/faq.html

A group at NASA’s Johnson Space Center has successfully tested an electromagnetic (EM) propulsion drive in a vacuum – a major breakthrough for a multi-year international effort comprising several competing research teams. Thrust measurements of the EM Drive defy classical physics’ expectations that such a closed (microwave) cavity should be unusable for space propulsion because of the law of conservation of momentum.

Last summer, NASA Eagleworks – an advanced propulsion research group led by Dr. Harold “Sonny” White at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) – made waves throughout the scientific and technical communities when the group presented their test results on July 28-30, 2014, at the 50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference in Cleveland, Ohio.

Those results related to experimental testing of an EM Drive – a concept that originated around 2001 when a small UK company, Satellite Propulsion Research Ltd (SPR), under Roger J. Shawyer, started a Research and Development (R&D) program.

The concept of an EM Drive as put forth by SPR was that electromagnetic microwave cavities might provide for the direct conversion of electrical energy to thrust without the need to expel any propellant.

This lack of expulsion of propellant from the drive was met with initial skepticism within the scientific community because this lack of propellant expulsion would leave nothing to balance the change in the spacecraft’s momentum if it were able to accelerate.

This was an interesting point from the FAQ:

Q. How can the EmDrive produce enough thrust for terrestrial applications?
A. The second generation engines will be capable of producing a specific thrust of 30kN/kW. Thus for 1 kilowatt (typical of the power in a microwave oven) a static thrust of 3 tonnes can be obtained, which is enough to support a large car. This is clearly adequate for terrestrial transport applications.
The static thrust/power ratio is calculated assuming a superconducting EmDrive with a Q of 5 x 109. This Q value is routinely achieved in superconducting cavities.
Note however, because the EmDrive obeys the law of conservation of energy, this thrust/power ratio rapidly decreases if the EmDrive is used to accelerate the vehicle along the thrust vector. (See Equation 16 of the theory paper). Whilst the EmDrive can provide lift to counter gravity, (and is therefore not losing kinetic energy), auxiliary propulsion is required to provide the kinetic energy to accelerate the vehicle.

[Medusa Cascade]

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...er-latest-test

[AeneasBK]

Yeah was about to say. Tech thread not started by Connal? I call shenanigans.

SHENANIGANS!

[Deleted]

Ah thanks. Normally I double check before I post, but I thought this was too esoteric for someone to have posted already yet too exciting for me to delay posting!