NASA Confirms "Impossible" Propellant-free Microwave Thruster for Spacecraft Works!

[Zeus 7997]

http://inhabitat.com/nasa-confirms-the-impossible-propellant-free-microwave-thruster-for-spacecraft-works/

Designs for a device called a microwave thruster, which could power spacecraft without the need for propellant, have been proposed since 2006. While the engine follows the principles of relativity theory in converting electrical energy into force to produce thrust, it has been dismissed as impossible in practice since it defies the law of conservation of momentum. But a team from NASA has just successfully trialled their own version of the engine, which changes everything.

However, if like NASA we choose to focus on the results and not the method for the moment, what could be the implications of a microwave thruster-powered spacecraft? The device is so interesting because it does away with the need for lugging along a fuel supply that is about equivalent in weight to the craft it is propelling. Using solar energy to generate the power to create the microwaves in the first place becomes an option too. This would mean the engine could continue indefinitely, at least until mechanical failure brought it to a halt, though it would also limit the craft’s range to proximity to a source. For now, however, NASA’s development doesn’t even provide enough thrust to propel a peanut through space, so there is still a way to go to scale up to a mission to Mars.

This is pretty cool! We might land a man on Mars sometime in the near future!

[Senedjem 510]

important question


can i reheat chinese food in it


not a microwave thingy worth building if it can't heat up my kung pow chicken w/out a cold bit in the middle

[The Bread Wolf 231]

I agree with @Senedjem. There are indeed some important questions to be answered. Otherwise this will just be humankind playing god. And that ain't right.

 

First off, can it finally recharge my phone? I've heard I could recharge my phone if I put it in a microwave for 30 seconds but apparently my phone's battery just blew up. So can I recharge it with this new microwave? Also, will it fix my phone from what the previous microwave caused? That's important. I need to know this.