




Former NASA astronaut turns heads with his innovative engine













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Star Trek...
By ChristopherO on 10/7/2009 2:20:06 PM , Rating: 3
I read stories like this, and I laugh that all the contributing physicists to Star Trek are asked, "How would we solve this problem?" They usually get it right, and some number of years later we figure out how to solve the engineering challenges for the solutions they daydreamed about decades ago. In most sci-fi the sub-light drive systems are basically the same thing as the VASIMR using plasma for propulsion. (Assuming a few hundred years of progress, and a lot of dramatic license)

Still, what I find more humbling is how much we don't know that we constantly discover. There's always a better way of doing something. A lot of progress has been made *in space*, but I'm wondering what sort of limits we have for improving traditional chemical boosters. Besides the concept of a space elevator, getting away from Earth is just as costly as it has ever been. We can do more interesting things once we get away from here, but getting away is always the biggest problem. Certainly there are some cheaper boosters for small payloads (space ship one, etc), but we seem stuck in the same rut of paying a lot of money for anything large.

RE: Star Trek...
By kattanna on 10/7/2009 3:39:44 PM , Rating: 2

in star trek, our VASIMR engines were being powered by multi GW Fusion reactors, instead of lowly 200Kw levels.

thats some serious orders of magnitude difference. who knows.. if we can get such engines up to such power levels, they might just be strong enough to take something into orbit as well.

RE: Star Trek...
By jeff834 on 10/7/2009 9:49:00 PM , Rating: 2
Antimatter not fusion.

RE: Star Trek...
By acer905 on 10/8/2009 12:18:00 AM , Rating: 3
Actually, only the warp core uses an antimatter reaction, the impulse engines use their own fusion reactors to generate the electrical needs for the fusion rockets to function

Additionally, it has been assumed that the first vessels to travel at warp speed (i.e. The Phoenix) used fusion reactors to produce the energy needed, but it was abandoned when M/Am was finally perfected and was found to be more efficient

RE: Star Trek...
By lightfoot on 10/8/2009 5:46:26 PM , Rating: 2
Spoken as though it were fact.

The sign of a true Trek geek. :)

