https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/scientists-built-an-ion-drive-propulsion-system-that-actually-works/ar-BB1bPtpm?li=BBnbfcL

Maybe for my next car?? 😯

They did that ages ago. Too puny to be of much use currently. A kind of an ion wind effect I recall.

Ion drives work for space probes, where a puny amount of thrust is effective but not here in a dense atmosphere.

I hear the Galactic Foundation are using quantum field coils. 😉

 

Edited December 11, 20205 yr by martin-w

In simpler words. This is like the carrot dangling in front of a donkey to make it pull the carriage forward. 

"I hear the Galactic Foundation are using quantum field coils."

Indeed, at one time this was the preferred method. But The Foundation has since moved to a much more efficient system based on quantum vacuum thrust.

Edited December 11, 20205 yr by W2DR

27 minutes ago, W2DR said:

"I hear the Galactic Foundation are using quantum field coils."

Indeed, at one time this was the preferred method. But The Foundation has since moved to a much more efficient system based on quantum vacuum thrust.

 

Hmm... interesting. Our bestest scientists tell us that extracting energy from the quantum vacuum is impossible because the virtual particles in the quantum vacuum are not true particles and exist too fleetingly for such a concept to be feasible. So if you could please ask the mega scientists of the Galactic Foundation to educate us in this respect we would be very grateful.

We puny humans, do of course regard the members of the Galactic Foundation as the equivalent of gods, therefore if they could indeed impart just a smidgen of their knowledge, I feel it would advance mankind considerably.

Thanks in advance... 

👍

 

Ion drives have actually been in use for several decades on satellites and space probes. 

There are drives currently under development that have significantly higher thrust that could be used for long range space travel, e.g. a mission to Mars or the asteroid belt.  The engine would provide constant but relatively weak thrust, but over a period of days could accelerate the craft to high enough speeds to make travel to other planets practical.  They also require much less fuel than chemical rockets.

One of the challenges is that in order to accelerate the particles to high enough speeds to develop significant thrust, you need a very powerful electrical source which is heavy and takes up a lot of space.  Nuclear fission reactors have been used.

Solar panels could possibly be used but you would need a lot of them.  A fusion reactor would work nicely but unfortunately we don't have those just yet.

Dave

7 hours ago, martin-w said:

We puny humans, do of course regard the members of the Galactic Foundation as the equivalent of gods, therefore if they could indeed impart just a smidgen of their knowledge, I feel it would advance mankind considerably.

They scientists have essentially all the tools needed now. Through further experimentation they will eventually find that linear momentum may be transferred from the quantum vacuum in the presence of an external magnetic field. The theoretical boundaries are known. Funding for additional research is what's needed now. I can't help them there.

Edited December 12, 20205 yr by W2DR

Guess I'll have to see how much power my flashlight can generate! 🔦  OK, moving on..........I will now concentrate on burrito power! 🌯  Anyone gotta match?

4 hours ago, charliearon said:

I will now concentrate on burrito power! 🌯  Anyone gotta match?

Hey now, burritos and beans provide a lot of natural propulsion, but the green house gasses they produce are not so pleasant to our olfactory senses. 💨 💨 😂😂

That may, indeed, produce a small amount of propulsion. But it is important to note that you must not eat or drink any other item(s) that might cause abdominal bloating. Intestinal gas transit is normally accelerated by rectal distension and excessive bloating of the abdomen will cause this modulatory mechanism to fail thereby impairing gas transit resulting in the loss of any desired thrust.

Thank you Dr Doug!  Why is this blue cloud chasing me around??  Hope I don't get a spark turning on this light!

Oh, oh!!!!!!

11 hours ago, charliearon said:

Guess I'll have to see how much power my flashlight can generate! 🔦  OK, moving on..........I will now concentrate on burrito power! 🌯  Anyone gotta match?

Taco Bell's refried bean burritos (cheapest thing on the menu back in the mid-1990's) will provide all sorts of "personal propulsion".  😉 

I only ate them once, after that one time, the UN sent a delegation to my residence to speak with me about international law and gas warfare. 😆

So, was it Burritos of some sort that the cowboys in Blazing Saddles were eating?

7 hours ago, cmpbellsjc said:

but the green house gasses they produce are not so pleasant to our olfactory senses

Just light the fart near a tree so it can suck up the CO2 😉

23 hours ago, W2DR said:

So, was it Burritos of some sort that the cowboys in Blazing Saddles were eating?

No, they were just eating beans.