Science Watch: EMDrive

 Science Watch: EMDrive

Today is Star Wars Day. In light of that, including the fact that Star Wars: The Force Awakens comes out this December, I wanted to share with you information about a new way to travel. It seems that we may soon be close to warp drive or hyperdrive technology. There have been lots of talks lately about a theorized EmDrive.  This EmDrive is explained in this article:

The EmDrive, which was originally developed by British scientist Roger Shawyer in the early 2000s, purportedly generates thrust by bouncing microwaves around inside a conical chamber. Because the engine doesn’t require any fuel, it could theoretically make spaceflight far cheaper and more efficient, opening the heavens to exploration.

NASA has recently tested this idea and initial reports show that the tests were successful. Of course, more time is needed to determine if this technology is for real because it seems to violate the law of conservation of momentum. The warp drive requires no propellant and it seems to be driven by electromagnetic energy.

If proven true, this could revolutionize how we look into space travel. It could also impact what we drive here on Earth. I for one would love to be piloting a Millennium Falcon in the next couple of years.