Space travel - engines under development

[Brian G Turner]

I saw the following article on the BBC site, and thought that it presented an interesting series of ideas on the current propulson methods under development. Of course, an anti-matter drive seems to be everyone's favourite bet for future space travel - but we're not quite that far yet.

Anyway, here's the link:

Antimatter would 'give us the stars'

I thought I'd post it in this section, rather than the science/nature board, as maybe someone may like to comment on our future propsects of space travel - even, if it would be desirable.

 

[Maryjane]

How about through the application nanotechnology they are actually proposing to creat a micro singularity in a containment chamber and using the event horison as a means of propulssion and power. (fact)

 

[TGirlPaula]

Warp drive seems best as there are warps all over the place and by exploiting the difference of potential energy between warps and "smooth" space, if will, propulsion power is made available.

The underlying principle, difference of potential is well understood already. In our daily lives it's called "voltage". Were it not for creating a difference of potential using an electrical generator or dynamo we would still be using whale oil lamps.

I have also read that ion propulsion engines are getting a serious look and may be in development.

If warp drive is only a theory and a singularity-based propulsion system is a bit too hard to contain I suggest we revisit the comic strip, "Dick Tracy" as drawn by Chester Gould in the early and mid-1960s.

Gould conceived of Dick Tracy's wrist radio, wrist television, and the "Space Coupe."

It was a cylindrical-shaped vessel that was powered by magnetic repulsion. It ran silently, did not pollute, used a readily available fuel source called gravity and could move at trememdous speeds.

Gould also predicted that "The nation that controls magnetism will rule the world. I hope that the development of mag-repulsion vehicles is delayed until Mr. Bush is between jobs.

 

[Rane Longfox]

No one really knows how that kind of propulsion would work yet I guess but all the sci-fi claiming to be realistic (at least that I've read) uses antimatter engines, so I guess its gotta be a significant posibility... be kinda cool

 

[Princess Ivy]

This is so far above me that there are clouds in between. Never understood this scientific gobldygook, but didn't warp drive eventually weaken subspace (according to Trek) and have to be minimised?

 

[Ivo]

...even, if it would be desirable.

I would hope that it remains desirable by humans. However, I think its going to be a long time before we can send humans on long space voyages. In the mean time the methods of flight described in the article would be of great advantage to us with regards to unmanned flights.

I think we're going to end up with quite expansive probe missions of deep space long before humans can get there safely. Thanks for the link, very interesting.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Nice to see you back, Ivo.

 

[Ivo]

Nice to see you back, Ivo.

Thanks buddy! Glad to be back. I was away on a lot of trips with my job and just couldn't post much. I hope to be back for good now!

 

[Maryjane]

Here is a good link on the latest on the space elevator

The Space Elevator Comes Closer to Reality

 

[dwndrgn]

Great article MaryJane! I'm amazed that scientists feel it is doable. Wow. Of course, I had to immediately thing of Aerosmith's song silly me!

 

[BlueSkelton]

I built the engine for my last space ship out of gum wrappers, Duck Tape, and my old Nintendo. Fastest Hunk a Junk in the Galaxy

 

[Maryjane]

And you used the bubble gum to glue it all together. Waste not want not. Just hope it doesn't start blowing tiny bubbles before it reaches orbit.

 

[Lucifer]

I saw the following article on the BBC site, and thought that it presented an interesting series of ideas on the current propulson methods under development. Of course, an anti-matter drive seems to be everyone's favourite bet for future space travel - but we're not quite that far yet.

Anyway, here's the link:

Antimatter would 'give us the stars'

WOOT! WOOT! Thank you! I have been making myself insane researching the link between space travel and antimatter for weeks now. I need it for the last book in my series (and I'm just now writing the first, but I like to know where things need to go). So, thank you so much.

(happy, happy Lucifer dance.)

 

[Brian G Turner]

Hi Lucifer, and welcome to the chronicles network.

And glad to have set you dancing.