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Warp Drive? NASA Thinks Maybe...

Paratus

Paratus

Lifer
I know I've mentioned this before, but I found an awesome YouTube video about the advanced propulsion concepts, (Warp Drive & Quantum Vacuum Plasma Thruster),being done at my place of business.

It's narrated by the principal investigator Dr. White.

This is what they eventually hope to build:

IXS-Enterprise-2.jpg



Anyway check it out if you have the time. (Fair Warning: It is almost an hour long and they have some volume problems with the microphone.)

http://youtu.be/9M8yht_ofHc

Or you can read this blog if you don't have the time.


http://sploid.gizmodo.com/holy-crap-nasas-interplanetary-spaceship-concept-is-fr-1589001939


TL;DR

Quantum Vacuum Thruster - potential to go to Mars in 22 days
Warp Drive - potential to go to Alpha Centauri in two weeks. 😱

If the science continues to check out
 
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Paratus said:
Anyway check it out if you have the time. (Fair Warning: It is almost an hour long and they have some volume problems with the microphone.)
Click to expand...

So perhaps the greatest possible achievement in physics is going to be pulled off by a gang of scientists who can't master a microphone or work volume-normalizing software? Color me skeptical.
 
I assumed that the rings were the rotating 'simulated gravity environment,' like on every long-distance spaceship concept ever.

But no, it says they are part of the 'warp drive.' Followed by exactly zero science (in the article...not watching the video).

Kindly explain how this is not dumb scifi-nerd bullshit.
 
GagHalfrunt said:
So perhaps the greatest possible achievement in physics is going to be pulled off by a gang of scientists who can't master a microphone or work volume-normalizing software? Color me skeptical.
Click to expand...
yet you know didley compared to what this group of PHD`s know...
 
I'll just leave this here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive

The Alcubierre drive or Alcubierre metric (referring to metric tensor) is a speculative idea based on a solution of Einstein's field equations in general relativity as proposed by theoretical physicist Miguel Alcubierre, by which a spacecraft could achieve faster-than-light travel if a configurable energy-density field lower than that of vacuum (i.e. negative mass) could be created. Rather than exceeding the speed of light within its local frame of reference, a spacecraft would traverse distances by contracting space in front of it and expanding space behind it, resulting in effective faster-than-light travel.

Objects cannot accelerate to the speed of light within normal spacetime; instead, the Alcubierre drive shifts space around an object so that the object would arrive at its destination faster than light would in normal space.[1] Although the metric proposed by Alcubierre is mathematically valid in that it is consistent with the Einstein field equations, it may not be physically meaningful or indicate that such a drive could be constructed. The proposed mechanism of the Alcubierre drive implies a negative energy density and therefore requires exotic matter, so if exotic matter with the correct properties does not exist then it could not be constructed. However, at the close of his original paper[2] Alcubierre argued (following an argument developed by physicists analyzing traversable wormholes[3][4]) that the Casimir vacuum between parallel plates could fulfill the negative-energy requirement for the Alcubierre drive. Another possible issue is that although the Alcubierre metric is consistent with general relativity, general relativity does not incorporate quantum mechanics, and some physicists have presented arguments to suggest that a theory of quantum gravity which merged the two theories would eliminate those solutions in general relativity which allow for backwards time travel (see the chronology protection conjecture), of which the Alcubierre drive is one.
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Cliffs of those cliffs: This is speculative bullshit that, even in the realm of non-applied sciences, is weaksauce.

edit:
JEDIYoda said:
yet you know didley compared to what this group of PHD`s know...
Click to expand...

I was unaware that they gave PhD's in concept art.

edit2:
To clarify, my argument is simply that this 'scientific research' is about as valid as a spam email promising to contract the space-time in front of your cock.
 
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And they will call this ship Event Horizon, it will mysteriously disappear on its maiden voyage only to return 15 years later at which point we send Sam Neill and Morpheus to go fetch it.

Sounds like a plan :thumbsup:
 
Maximilian said:
And they will call this ship Event Horizon, it will mysteriously disappear on its maiden voyage only to return 15 years later at which point we send Sam Neill and Morpheus to go fetch it.

Sounds like a plan :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Didn't end up good for Morpheus. Sam Neill went on one hell of a bender though!
 
GagHalfrunt said:
So perhaps the greatest possible achievement in physics is going to be pulled off by a gang of scientists who can't master a microphone or work volume-normalizing software? Color me skeptical.
Click to expand...

This was recorded at a conference not by the guys performing the work at NASA.

phucheneh said:
I assumed that the rings were the rotating 'simulated gravity environment,' like on every long-distance spaceship concept ever.

But no, it says they are part of the 'warp drive.' Followed by exactly zero science (in the article...not watching the video).

Kindly explain how this is not dumb scifi-nerd bullshit.
Click to expand...

Sure

In the 90's a physicist named Miguel Alcubierre showed that it was possible using relativity to warp space in such a way that a ship could appear to travel faster than light but still be slower than light locally.

We know this warping is possible since the universe did it during its inflationary period.

It would not impart weird stresses on the ship and clocks on board would remain synchronized with clocks on the ground

The problem? It would require a Jupiter's sized mass of energy and negative pressure provided by "exotic matter" which doesn't appear to exist.

In 2000's White manipulated the equations and got the energy requirement down to a more manageable range. Something on the order of 10-100kgs.

With their work on the Quantum thruster it looks like they can make do without the exotic matter as well.

They current have an interferometer setup with their test article and have taken data. The data shows an extremely small signature and they have a lot of work to do to tease out if it's actually doing anything or if they need to reconfigure the experiment.
 
phucheneh said:
I'll just leave this here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive



Cliffs of those cliffs: This is speculative bullshit that, even in the realm of non-applied sciences, is weaksauce.

edit:


I was unaware that they gave PhD's in concept art.

edit2:
To clarify, my argument is simply that this 'scientific research' is about as valid as a spam email promising to contract the space-time in front of your cock.
Click to expand...

Piss on it all you want.
It's research being conducted. It will work or it won't and the result will be published. I've personally seen the test articles so I can confirm they are using the setup he talks about in the video

Plus as he says in the video the thruster is actually working and they are sending test articles off for further confirmation at other NASA centers.
 
Hayabusa Rider said:
That a mathematical solution exists does not mean there are physical ones. The killer is negative mass of which there isn't any.
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Which it turns out they may not need. According to the video the manipulation of the Quantum vacuum that the thruster provides may allow them to get the negative pressure they need without exotic matter.
 
Paratus said:
We know this warping is possible since the universe did it during its inflationary period.
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That is a very, very weak argument.

Like saying that is it possible for me to shoot lightning bolts out of my ass because 'hey, evolution, and, like, electric eels...and stuff...it could happen...'
 
phucheneh said:
That is a very, very weak argument.

Like saying that is it possible for me to shoot lightning bolts out of my ass because 'hey, evolution, and, like, electric eels...and stuff...it could happen...'
Click to expand...

Why do we know fusion is possible? Because we observed the sun do it.

Why did we know heavier than air flight was possible? Because we observed birds doing it.

Sorry this research pisses in your Cheerios but it's the first idea for FTL backed by scientific observation and theory that is being done by a legitimate research institution.
 
Hayabusa Rider said:
That a mathematical solution exists does not mean there are physical ones. The killer is negative mass of which there isn't any.
Click to expand...

while true, a lot of mathematical discoveries have led to physical inventions.

relativity was developed because lorentz thought that the equations describing motion and mass should be symmetric.


or something like that. i can't remember the story exactly, but basically some famous scientist said "i don't like the way this equation looks, let me add another term to make it symmetric" and boom - massive scientific advances.
 
Mathematically and scientifically, alkaline batteries are rechargeable. Yet here we live, in 2014 with only disposable alkaline batteries

Lots of amazing theories get studied, many even get announced, and then most die.
 
NoTine42 said:
Mathematically and scientifically, alkaline batteries are rechargeable. Yet here we live, in 2014 with only disposable alkaline batteries

Lots of amazing theories get studied, many even get announced, and then most die.
Click to expand...

The catch is getting this to work doesn't just mean a more expensive rechargeable battery, it means the ability to mine the moon, planets, it means an end to practically every resource deficiency other than fossil fuels. So there's tons of money to be made off of this if they can get it to work.
 
NoTine42 said:
Mathematically and scientifically, alkaline batteries are rechargeable. Yet here we live, in 2014 with only disposable alkaline batteries

Lots of amazing theories get studied, many even get announced, and then most die.
Click to expand...

possible and practical are two different things.
 
Fenixgoon said:
while true, a lot of mathematical discoveries have led to physical inventions.

relativity was developed because lorentz thought that the equations describing motion and mass should be symmetric.


or something like that. i can't remember the story exactly, but basically some famous scientist said "i don't like the way this equation looks, let me add another term to make it symmetric" and boom - massive scientific advances.
Click to expand...

I appreciate that math and physics lead to advances in technology but because something is allowed does not mean it can happen.

So with that in mind I have a couple questions.

Has there been a conclusive result reached in the existence of this effect?

Assuming that this is possible, what are the energy requirements to make it happen? "All we need to do is convert 1000 kg of matter to energy" is hardly trivial and then we have material engineering constraints. "Unobtanium" isn't a viable resource.

Yes, I'm skeptical and for the moment I relegate this to the "impossible", however if experiments produce solid and reproducible (by independent and responsible bodies) then I'll reclassify this as possible, however I still need to see the engineering requirements before I think it might happen.
 
NASA is a dog and pony show for the public. I couldn't care less what they are doing.

The secret space program is where it's at. They have tech that's 1,000 yrs more advanced than what's shown to the public.

What's shown in sci-fi tv and movies are intentional leaks from this program.
 
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Hayabusa Rider said:
That a mathematical solution exists does not mean there are physical ones. The killer is negative mass of which there isn't any.
Click to expand...

For now. 110 years ago, we didn't think flight would be possible because we did not think anything more dense than air would be able to fly. Welp, guess we were wrong.
 
Printer Bandit said:
NASA is a dog and pony show for the public. I couldn't care less what they are doing.

The secret space program is where it's at. They have tech that's 1,000 yrs more advanced than what's shown to the public.
Click to expand...

Proof? You know, when these "leaks" of super secret info gets out to the public, have you ever considered it's just propaganda to make us look much smarter/advanced than we are?

I work for a military company and some of the work is considered "Top Secret". You'd be surprised how ancient this technology still is.

If we do have super secret space programs, it's probably less advanced than you think. And if it is super secret and awesome, there's a solid chance you'll never know about it.
 
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