EmDrive
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| − | The '''EmDrive''' is a "method" of spacecraft propulsion developed by Roger Shawyer. The "inventor" claims that it works by flooding a resonant cavity with microwave radiation. The radiation exerts pressure on the walls of the cavity, and due to "relativistic effects",<ref>Which violate normal Newtonian mechanics; think of a sailboat with a fan pointed towards the sail.</ref> the cavity (shaped like a truncated cone) will experience a larger force against the large end than the small end, due to the group velocity of the wave changing as the local diameter of the cavity varies. The inventor [[Blind faith|claims]] that this will cause the engine to be propelled through space. He also claims that the engine does not violate the laws of physics, even though it does.<ref>Such as the conservation of momentum.</ref>{{fact}} Several prominent physicists have said that it is impossible<ref>As claimed in [http://www.assassinationscience.com/johncostella/shawyerfraud.pdf here]</ref>{{fact}}, but that does not stop China from trying to build one anyway.<ref>[http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2008/09/chinese-buildin/ Apparently] Chinese researchers from the Northwestern Polytechnical University led by Yang Juan claim that they confirmed the theory, and are going to build one.</ref> It is unknown exactly how annoyed they will be when it doesn't work. The invention is on the same level of lack of common sense as [[Time Cube]], though the latter website has better formatting. | + | The '''EmDrive''' is a "method" of spacecraft propulsion developed by Roger Shawyer. The "inventor" claims that it works by flooding a resonant cavity with microwave radiation. The radiation exerts pressure on the walls of the cavity, and due to "relativistic effects",<ref>Which violate normal Newtonian mechanics; think of a sailboat with a fan pointed towards the sail.</ref> the cavity (shaped like a truncated cone) will experience a larger force against the large end than the small end, due to the group velocity of the wave changing as the local diameter of the cavity varies<ref>The calculations in question found [http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/ns/av/shawyertheory.pdf here]</ref>. The inventor [[Blind faith|claims]] that this will cause the engine to be propelled through space. He also claims that the engine does not violate the laws of physics, even though it does.<ref>Such as the conservation of momentum.</ref>{{fact}} Several prominent physicists have said that it is impossible<ref>As claimed in [http://www.assassinationscience.com/johncostella/shawyerfraud.pdf here]</ref>{{fact}}, but that does not stop China from trying to build one anyway.<ref>[http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2008/09/chinese-buildin/ Apparently] Chinese researchers from the Northwestern Polytechnical University led by Yang Juan claim that they confirmed the theory, and are going to build one.</ref> It is unknown exactly how annoyed they will be when it doesn't work. The invention is on the same level of lack of common sense as [[Time Cube]], though the latter website has better formatting. |
Unfortunately,''New Scientist'' wrote a rather favourable article on it. | Unfortunately,''New Scientist'' wrote a rather favourable article on it. | ||
Revision as of 23:35, 11 June 2009
The EmDrive is a "method" of spacecraft propulsion developed by Roger Shawyer. The "inventor" claims that it works by flooding a resonant cavity with microwave radiation. The radiation exerts pressure on the walls of the cavity, and due to "relativistic effects",[1] the cavity (shaped like a truncated cone) will experience a larger force against the large end than the small end, due to the group velocity of the wave changing as the local diameter of the cavity varies[2]. The inventor claims that this will cause the engine to be propelled through space. He also claims that the engine does not violate the laws of physics, even though it does.[3][citation needed] Several prominent physicists have said that it is impossible[4][citation needed], but that does not stop China from trying to build one anyway.[5] It is unknown exactly how annoyed they will be when it doesn't work. The invention is on the same level of lack of common sense as Time Cube, though the latter website has better formatting.
Unfortunately,New Scientist wrote a rather favourable article on it.
Footnotes
- ↑ Which violate normal Newtonian mechanics; think of a sailboat with a fan pointed towards the sail.
- ↑ The calculations in question found here
- ↑ Such as the conservation of momentum.
- ↑ As claimed in here
- ↑ Apparently Chinese researchers from the Northwestern Polytechnical University led by Yang Juan claim that they confirmed the theory, and are going to build one.