Wednesday 29 July 2015
RESONANT FREQUENCY THRUSTERS
A new form of electromagnetic propulsion that does not require conventional reaction mass (eg. rockets & rocket like engines) or propellant (eg. Hall Thrusters).
EM DRIVE
"Our measurements reveal thrusts as expected from previous claims after carefully studying thermal and electromagnetic interferences.It produces thrust by using solar power to generate multiple microwaves that move back and forth in an enclosed chamber. This means that until something fails or wears down, theoretically the engine could keep running forever without the need for rocket fuel
"If true, this could certainly revolutionise space travel." by Prof Tajmer , presenting his findings to the 2015 American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics' Propulsion and Energy Forum and Exposition this week
The EM Drive was developed by the British inventor Roger Shawyer, director of United Kingdom (UK)-based Satellite Propulsion Research Ltd (SPR) in 2001
Various independent replication of the EM drive in China (Chinese researchers from the Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) in Xi'an in 2008 and 2013-14 have built, and confirmed the EM drive effect) , and recently in Germany conclude that there is thrust produced.
"Nevertheless, we do observe thrust close to the actual predictions after eliminating many possible error sources that should warrant further investigation into the phenomena. Our measurements reveal thrusts as expected from previous claims after carefully studying thermal and electromagnetic interferences. If true, this could certainly revolutionise space travel."
CANNAE DRIVE
Invented by chemical engineer Guido Fetta
CHINESE EM DRIVE
in 2010, Prof. Juan Yang in China began publishing about her research into EM Drive technology, culminating in her 2012 paper reporting higher input power (2.5kW) and tested thrust (720mN) levels of an EM Drive
In 2014, Prof. Yang’s papers reported extensive tests involving internal temperature measurements with embedded thermocouples.
It was reported (in SPR Ltd.’s website) that if the Chinese EM Drive were to be installed in the International Space Station (ISS) and work as reported, it could provide the necessary delta-V (change in velocity needed to perform an on-orbit maneuver) to compensate for the Station’s orbital decay and thus eliminate the requirement of re-boosts from visiting vehicles.
EAGLEWORKS, JOHNSON SPACE CENTRE
Dr. Harold “Sonny” White leads the advanced propulsion research group, which built its own experimental EM Drive, leading to similar results; presenting their groups test results on July 28-30, 2014, at the 50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference in Cleveland, Ohio
HOW IT WORKS
These drives use a magnetron (recovered from home microwave ovens) to produce microwaves which are directed into a metallic, fully enclosed conically tapered high Qresonant cavity.
These drives have a greater area at one end of the device, and a dielectric resonator in front of the narrower end. They are designed to generate a directional thrust toward the narrow end of the cavity. They require an electrical power source to run the magnetron, but no other propellant.
i.e. These EM Drives are shaped like a truncated cone with directional thrust generated out the truncated cone/narrower end
Dr. White proposed that the EM Drive’s thrust was due to the Quantum Vacuum (the quantum state with the lowest possible energy) behaving like propellant ions behave in a MagnetoHydroDynamics drive (a method electrifying propellant and then directing it with magnetic fields to push a spacecraft in the opposite direction) for spacecraft propulsion.
Dr. White proposed that the EM Drive’s thrust was due to the Quantum Vacuum (the quantum state with the lowest possible energy) behaving like propellant ions behave in a MagnetoHydroDynamics drive (a method electrifying propellant and then directing it with magnetic fields to push a spacecraft in the opposite direction) for spacecraft propulsion.
Below is a updated 2012 design with Harold White of how a Alcubierre type drive could work
