Brads Electronic Projects Forum

What is an EM drive?

The 'impossible' fuel-free engine, that could power a spacecraft to Mars in just 10 weeks, is still defying science. The EM Drive creates thrust by bouncing microwaves around in an enclosed chamber, and only requires solar power - thereby negated the need for fuel. Earlier tests had been queried by the scientific community, but by using an improved experimental process, Nasa has managed to remove some of the errors and still found signals of unexplained thrust (inset, the magnetic fields created). Details of the latest test were given by Paul March, one of the top engineers working the EM Drive thruster at the Eagleworks Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center in Texas.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... s-why.html

I would caution everyone because this engine sounds controversial:

The Lorentz force is the force that is exerted by a magnetic field on a moving electric charge.

But March says his tests prove this is not true.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... s-why.html

I would like to know more.

That is very interesting Chuck, we will have to see how this technology unfolds and how it holds up to more testing.

Brad,

It kind of reminds me of a solar radiometer. My grandmother showed me one as a kid. Light hits it, it moves and I don't really know why. I guess this is how they get the idea of a solar sail.

Chuck

Well, you got me interested in solar radiometers!

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum ... ic=15420.0

brad wrote:Well, you got me interested in solar radiometers!

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum ... ic=15420.0

They are a conversation starter and a treat to watch.

How does the EmDrive “work?”

Setting aside the potentially physics-breaking improbabilities of the technology, let’s break down in simple terms how the proposed drive operates. The EmDrive is what is called an RF resonant cavity thruster, and is one of several hypothetical machines that use this model. These designs work by having a magnetron push microwaves into a closed truncated cone, then push against the short end of the cone, and propel the craft forward.

Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/ ... z3s3OMsogI
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That means that any and all purportedly positive test results, and the claims of those who have a vested interest in the technology, should be taken with a very big grain of skepticism-flavored salt. It’s likely that the thrust recorded was due to interference or an unaccounted error with equipment.

Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/ ... z3s3OgGY00
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There are people reporting thrust according to the article.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/ ... deostories

It seems that they will need an incredible amount of power to get any significant thrust though doesn't it?

It is really hard for me to answer this question since I don't have an engine to test.

I was reading that half of the energy we had to go to the moon was spent escaping earth and the rest was used going to the moon. I think that some of the energy you need might be needed to escape gravitational forces in space. I'm sorry I don't remember my search words to find the link. I do know that NASA only launched the Space Shuttle on certain days of the year where the earth's gravitational pull was the lowest and if you notice, most rockets fly at a curved path because they have to reach a horizontal speed or they would fall back to earth once they ran out of fuel.

http://space.stackexchange.com/question ... ving-earth

I think thrust has a lot to do with momentum.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrust