Electromagnetic Drive – New Free Energy Technology?
A dear old Facebook friend asked my opinion on this “technology.”
Well, let’s take a peek.
In the first place, the laws of physics that it violates are really the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics, making this theoretically impossible.
But isn’t it a bit suspicious that it both “passed peer review” and “scientists have no idea how it works?” Say what? “I have no idea how it works, but it passes my review?” That doesn’t sound like any scientist I’ve ever met.
They suggest, Maybe it works by “bouncing microwaves” around? Even presuming that makes any sense (which it doesn’t), one would need to ask: Where did the microwave energy come from?
I come across claims like this at the rate of about one a month, where someone is telling me, “No, I don’t have a working model, but it works.” My response: “I don’t want to hear it; I want to see it. What you’re claiming holds no more credibility with me than if you were saying you had a machine that turns oranges into cocker spaniels.”
I have been following the EM drive developments for several year. It passed peer review because one group of scientists tested it and found that it did develop thrust. And then another group of scientists tested it this time NASA and they also found it developed thrust. But because it seems to violate the laws of thermodynamics they don’t have a theory as to how it works.
This is quite different from a so called “magnetic motor” which is “spun up” by a motor that is plugged in and then the starter motor is disconnected and “surprise” the magnetic motor produces enough electricity to light a bulb. In this case a “peer” review could easily duplicate the results but rather than not knowing how it works it is quite clear. The “magnetic motor” is nothing more than a flywheel that has been spun up and will easily light a bulb. The human eye can not easily determine the difference in illumination as the flywheel slowly gives up its energy and slows to a stop.
The EM drive is useless for achieving escape velocity as it produces too little thrust. If continued testing proves rewarding it may someday be useful for resisting orbital decay, positioning satellites without fuel or traveling between planets taking advantage of low but constant acceleration.
The EM drive might seem fantastic and a bit like the “impulse drive” of star-trek but there area also scientists working to circumvent the limitation of the speed of light with “warp drive” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXyQ92SPWds
As an aside there are several other interesting motors/engines/drives that might be useful for space travel and/or escape velocity methods. Here is one of the more unusual: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAdj6vpYppA