Science: space travel without fuel

Eric Allie, Cagle

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At the current stage of development, dreams of space travel start in the range of 30 and 50 micro-Newtons in thrust (NASA reporting on the Cannae drive). Currently there are two candidates for space propulsion that don't require tons of fuel to launch and propel. Keep in mind interstellar travel (going outside our solar system) will require more time than a human is currently allotted in a lifetime. Take a look at Kate Mulcahy's "Top 10 Problems with Interstellar Travel" for more information.

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Gravity Probe B, ListVerse

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Still, developing propulsion without fuel is an important step.

The first candidate is the EmDrive, developed by Roger Shawyer, and introduced in 2010. This drive has been validated by NASA and built and tested by the Chinese.

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EmDrive (photo by Elvis Popovic), DVICE

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The other candidate is the Cannae Drive, reportedly a 'reactionless' engine. As reported by The Independent,

A NASA study has recently concluded that the "Cannae Drive," a disruptive new method of space propulsion, can produce small amounts of thrust without the use of propellant, in apparent discordance with Newton's third law. According to its inventor, the device can harness microwave radiation inside a resonator, turning electricity into a net thrust.

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Cannae Drive, gizmag

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Wired includes the Cannae and EmDrive engines in "10 questions about Nasa's 'impossible' space drive answered."

Travel within our solar system using one of these fuelless drives is being discussed, but to me the most interesting stuff lies beyond the heliosphere.

-- Marge