Relativity drive: The end of wings and wheels?

[Rosco T.]

http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/mg19125681.400;jsessionid=NMGHKBGMCGMM

Relativity drive: The end of wings and wheels?

Justin Mullins


(snip)

Of course, any crackpot can rough out plans for a warp drive. What they never show you is evidence that it works. Shawyer is different. He has built a working prototype to test his ideas, and as a respected spacecraft engineer he has persuaded the British government to fund his work. Now organisations from other parts of the world, including the US air force and the Chinese government, are beating a path to his tiny company.

The device that has sparked their interest is an engine that generates thrust purely from electromagnetic radiation - microwaves to be precise - by exploiting the strange properties of relativity. It has no moving parts, and releases no exhaust or noxious emissions. Potentially, it could pack the punch of a rocket in a box the size of a suitcase. It could one day replace the engines on almost any spacecraft. More advanced versions might allow cars to lift from the ground and hover. It could even lead to aircraft that will not need wings at all. I can't help thinking that it sounds too good to be true.

(snip)

With that pedigree, you'd imagine Shawyer would be someone the space industry would have listened to. Far from it. While at Astrium, Shawyer proposed that the company develop his idea. "I was told in no uncertain terms to drop it," he says. "This came from the very top."

What Shawyer had in mind was a replacement for the small thrusters conventional satellites use to stay in orbit. The fuel they need makes up about half their launch weight, and also limits a satellite's life: once it runs out, the vehicle drifts out of position and must be replaced. Shawyer's engine, by contrast, would be propelled by microwaves generated from solar energy. The photovoltaic cells would eliminate the fuel, and with the launch weight halved, satellite manufacturers could send up two craft for the price of one, so you would only need half as many launches.

(much more)

[longship]

1. It works well... except...

That anybody in its path ends up like "Kentucky Fried Chicken".
:evilgrin:

This is not a solution for deep space probes which would not have solar energy at their disposal. But, if it works as documented, this would be great for the inner solar system exploration.

[Peace Patriot]

2. The corpses* who sell rocket fuel, profit from nukes, build weapons, and

push "stars wars" defenses don't want solar-energized microwave power for a REASON. They have not done looting the government and the public with old technologies and their domination of existing (dangerous, polluting) resources.

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*(corpses = business entities that monopolize products and services, price-fix, price-gouge, and accumulate the diseased bodies of other businesses to eliminate competition, that routinely kill creativity and enterprise, and that live forever, like vampires; i.e., corporations.)

[Selatius]

3. Unfortunately, you're right

The only way this technology could spread is if governments shield it from attack by corporations, but that solution assumes the governments are not unduly influenced by the same antagonistic corporations.