But I think some of the numbers thrown around in this article are bogus. Four hours to the Moon? I don’t think so.
Even if you do away rocket propellant this is clearly some kind of low thrust electric drive, which means you need a heavy source of electric power like a nuclear power plant and radiator fins for cooling. So lower energy missions like lunar travel would show very little if any advantage in trip time compared to a conventional electric rocket like a Hall-Effect Plasma Thruster.
But clearly this magic EM drive would be a game changer for travel to the planets and beyond. Spacecraft for the planets wouldn’t be faster as much as they would be vastly cheaper; as truly reusable spacecraft that would never need replenishment with propellant. And actually practical interstellar spacecraft; with a travel time within one lifespan? Or even faster?
Only for restricted values of ‘us.’
off topic
Magic space drive really works? I hope so.
But I think some of the numbers thrown around in this article are bogus. Four hours to the Moon? I don’t think so.
Even if you do away rocket propellant this is clearly some kind of low thrust electric drive, which means you need a heavy source of electric power like a nuclear power plant and radiator fins for cooling. So lower energy missions like lunar travel would show very little if any advantage in trip time compared to a conventional electric rocket like a Hall-Effect Plasma Thruster.
But clearly this magic EM drive would be a game changer for travel to the planets and beyond. Spacecraft for the planets wouldn’t be faster as much as they would be vastly cheaper; as truly reusable spacecraft that would never need replenishment with propellant. And actually practical interstellar spacecraft; with a travel time within one lifespan? Or even faster?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/11769030/Impossible-rocket-drive-works-and-could-get-to-Moon-in-four-hours.html
off topic
Ted Cruz: one of us?
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/07/ted-cruz-on-the-important-question-kirk-v-picard.php
Cool!
Scott really should get some voice acting offers.