An Egyptian Teenager Has Created A Next Generation Quantum Space Propulsion
System

An Egyptian teenager has patented a next generation propulsion system that
could send spacecraft to other solar systems-without using a single drop of
fuel. While it is not quite warp drive, young physicist Aisha Mustafa's
system is based on quantum physics and could see mankind boldly go where no
man has gone before.

http://inhabitat.com/an-egyptian-teenager-has-created-a-next-generation-quan
tum-space-propulsion-system/

At 08:27 AM 5/30/2012, Alex Michael Bonnici wrote:
>
>An Egyptian Teenager Has Created A Next Generation Quantum Space Propulsion
>System
>
>An Egyptian teenager has patented a next generation propulsion system that
>could send spacecraft to other solar systems-without using a single drop of
>fuel. While it is not quite warp drive, young physicist Aisha Mustafa's
>system is based on quantum physics and could see mankind boldly go where no
>man has gone before.
>
>http://inhabitat.com/an-egyptian-teenager-has-created-a-next-generation-quan
>tum-space-propulsion-system/

Yeah, right. Good luck with that one.

Best wishes,

David

On 5/30/12 10:39 AM, David Brandt-Erichsen wrote:

http://inhabitat.com/an-egyptian-teenager-has-created-a-next-generation-quantum-space-propulsion-system/
>
> Yeah, right. Good luck with that one.

Yes, that's my initial reaction too. Usually (well, ALWAYS, so far),
when somebody believes they've found a free lunch, it means they've
overlooked something.

Still, the dynamic Casimir effect is interesting, and was only recently
experimentally demonstrated. I wouldn't entirely rule out the
possibility that there is some clever use of it for propulsion -- some
way to convert energy to momentum more efficiently than a photon drive.
You'd still need ridiculous amounts of power (I'm not buying the
"solar powered" claim at all), but if we ever get practical fusion, we
might have power enough then.

Best,
- Joe

Skepticism here too. Although there *is* a theoretical prediction of
quantum physics suggesting that it may be possible to build a propelantless
drive (which would in fact transfer momentum to the virtual particles in
the vacuum), better wait until the alleged effect is proven before jumping
to the alleged construction of a space drive based on that.

On Wed, May 30, 2012 at 1:39 PM, David Brandt-Erichsen
wrote: