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NASA's Peer-Reviewed EM Drive Paper Has Finally Been Published

sciencealert.com

11–20 of 71 posts

Re: NASA's Peer-Reviewed EM Drive Paper Has Finally Been Published

#11

As always, the relevant XKCD: https://xkcd.com/955/ While I don't really believe it, I am intrigued by the possibility. It has been a long time since we learned anything truly new in physics. The recent breakthroughs (Higgs boson, gravitational waves, for example) were satisfying, but not surprising. I would desperately like to be surprised.

1. studies consistently are showing that this seems to produce thrust without expelling any matter 2. we know that can't be possible I think most people are excited about this not because they think we just proved 2 to be wrong, but instead because we know 2 must be true, so what the hell is going on with 1??? Most likely we will find out that we are NOT violating the known laws of the universe, but we're "not violat…

By far the most likely scenario is that something subtle but utterly mundane is happening and no useful thrust is actually being produced. You say that:

1. studies consistently are showing that this seems to produce thrust without expelling any matter

but this is in fact the first peer reviewed study, so we really only have a sample size of one (not to say other experiments are invalid, just that we have no reason to trust them). Even assuming it is down to subtle experimental error, we may still learn something interesting, of course.

Far less likely is that this is actually producing useful thrust, and regardless of how it is doing it, that would be extremely interesting, and in all probability, new physics. Even if true, I don't expect it to completely overturn our understanding of physics, but it would be very exciting.

Re: NASA's Peer-Reviewed EM Drive Paper Has Finally Been Published

#12

As always, the relevant XKCD: https://xkcd.com/955/ While I don't really believe it, I am intrigued by the possibility. It has been a long time since we learned anything truly new in physics. The recent breakthroughs (Higgs boson, gravitational waves, for example) were satisfying, but not surprising. I would desperately like to be surprised.

1. studies consistently are showing that this seems to produce thrust without expelling any matter 2. we know that can't be possible I think most people are excited about this not because they think we just proved 2 to be wrong, but instead because we know 2 must be true, so what the hell is going on with 1??? Most likely we will find out that we are NOT violating the known laws of the universe, but we're "not violat…

> Most likely we will find out that we are NOT violating the known laws of the universe, but we're "not violating" them in a very interesting way.

Most likely is still some sort of experimental error. I'd like it to be real but there is still tonnes of room for skepticism.

Re: NASA's Peer-Reviewed EM Drive Paper Has Finally Been Published

#13
post #9

The quote of interest (being able to be tested in months) references another article where nothing has been committed but could be done in 6 months. On one hand it's great that this is being reviewed and tested. The other hand, that it's not getting properly tested in space where it really can make a difference is somewhat saddening. Can anyone point to a committed space trial?

It's in the article. Some skepticism is worthwhile though.

http://www.sciencealert.com/the-impossible-em-drive-is-about...

Re: NASA's Peer-Reviewed EM Drive Paper Has Finally Been Published

#15
post #13
post #9

The quote of interest (being able to be tested in months) references another article where nothing has been committed but could be done in 6 months. On one hand it's great that this is being reviewed and tested. The other hand, that it's not getting properly tested in space where it really can make a difference is somewhat saddening. Can anyone point to a committed space trial?

It's in the article. Some skepticism is worthwhile though. http://www.sciencealert.com/the-impossible-em-drive-is-about...

The 'commitment' from that article is: "No launch date has been set just yet, but it could happen in as soon as six months' time."

Re: NASA's Peer-Reviewed EM Drive Paper Has Finally Been Published

#17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. studies consistently are showing that this seems to produce thrust without expelling any matter 2. we know that can't be possible I think most people are excited about this not because they think we just proved 2 to be wrong, but instead because we know 2 must be true, so what the hell is going on with 1??? Most likely we will find out that we are NOT violating the known laws of the universe, but we're "not violat…

By far the most likely scenario is that something subtle but utterly mundane is happening and no useful thrust is actually being produced. You say that: 1. studies consistently are showing that this seems to produce thrust without expelling any matter but this is in fact the first peer reviewed study, so we really only have a sample size of one (not to say other experiments are invalid, just that we have no reason to…

Here's another article that proposes to explain why it works:

http://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/1.4953807

Re: NASA's Peer-Reviewed EM Drive Paper Has Finally Been Published

#18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. studies consistently are showing that this seems to produce thrust without expelling any matter 2. we know that can't be possible I think most people are excited about this not because they think we just proved 2 to be wrong, but instead because we know 2 must be true, so what the hell is going on with 1??? Most likely we will find out that we are NOT violating the known laws of the universe, but we're "not violat…

By far the most likely scenario is that something subtle but utterly mundane is happening and no useful thrust is actually being produced. You say that: 1. studies consistently are showing that this seems to produce thrust without expelling any matter but this is in fact the first peer reviewed study, so we really only have a sample size of one (not to say other experiments are invalid, just that we have no reason to…

Others have tried to replicate the results but got thrust in the null position[0]. This indicates that the amount of thrust being generated is so small that it's likely the result of instrumentation error.

[0]: https://tu-dresden.de/ing/maschinenwesen/ilr/rfs/ressourcen/...

Re: NASA's Peer-Reviewed EM Drive Paper Has Finally Been Published

#19

As always, the relevant XKCD: https://xkcd.com/955/ While I don't really believe it, I am intrigued by the possibility. It has been a long time since we learned anything truly new in physics. The recent breakthroughs (Higgs boson, gravitational waves, for example) were satisfying, but not surprising. I would desperately like to be surprised.

In case you missed it, the theory behind the EM Drive is also being used to explain galaxy rotation:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313580454_Low-accel...

Re: NASA's Peer-Reviewed EM Drive Paper Has Finally Been Published

#20
post #9

The quote of interest (being able to be tested in months) references another article where nothing has been committed but could be done in 6 months. On one hand it's great that this is being reviewed and tested. The other hand, that it's not getting properly tested in space where it really can make a difference is somewhat saddening. Can anyone point to a committed space trial?

Why would you test it in space?

I'm not sure I understand the reasoning.

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