NASA Tests 'Impossible' Engine, Finds Out It's Really Fast

[Yooxra]

August 3, 2014

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/062b465b2fd0159e3020a6b364c54287.htm

[Nucholza]

I read an article about this yesterday. It doesn't sound very promising from how it was described. The NASA report said they were able to get 30 - 50 micro-newtons of force......lol. That's almost nothing at all. Might as well not have even worked.

I have no idea how sensitive the equipment would be that you would use to even detect that kind of force, but I'd imagine there's some easy error introduced. The theoretical concept sounds pretty neat, but I wouldn't hold my breathe on this being very useful.

[rursusferre]

It's true, its practically no thrust. But maybe there is something there that can be exploited? Who knows. The biggest leaps in science seem to come from weird fuck ups and mistakes. I agree, don't hold your breath, but crazier shit has happened.

[Fusa]

I think this is more of an engine type that requires no fuel/weight ( to get to space ) and that 30-50 micro newtons of constant thrust over 6 weeks would be much faster then combustion burn for 3-15 mins

[Gogan]

I loved the part at the end where they describe some alternative space travel methods, e.g. sails, warp drive, etc, and he says:

"If neither of those work out, there's always wormholes which essentially act as shortcuts through space."

Because, you know, wormholes definitely exist and we already know about several of them. The view just isn't as scenic, so we've been looking for alternatives.

[Fusa]

ya and he also said it was "on NASA's to due list" lawl

[Gogan]

That was quick:

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/quantum_vacuum_virtual_plasma.png

http://xkcd.com/1404/

[Fusa]

She does a lot of things.

[Nucholza]

xkcd is the best

[Blake]

10 questions about Nasa's 'impossible' space drive answered

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-08/07/10-qs-about-nasa-impossible-drive