NASA scientist working on "Warp" drive.

[Uncle Spellbinder]

A few months ago, physicist Harold White stunned the aeronautics world when he announced that he and his team at NASA had begun work on the development of a faster-than-light warp drive. His proposed design, an ingenious re-imagining of an Alcubierre Drive, may eventually result in an engine that can transport a spacecraft to the nearest star in a matter of weeks — and all without violating Einstein's law of relativity.
Full article here: http://io9.com/5963263/how-nasa-will-build-its-very-first-warp-drive

More here: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/09/warp-drive-plausible/


From YouTube: NASA Scientist Says Warp Drive is Doable (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwZt1Yh4-1U)



.

[sffvba[e0rt]

Now this would be awesome... I wonder if the Vulcans will pick up the signal from the lab and come pay us a visit a tad earlier.


404

[mythic97]

Yeah hate be a kill joy but well there are some flaws in that plan

1. we need a black hole to warp space like that

2. we would cook as the temp inside the warped space will heat up over 60000 degrease Celsius

3. think of the cost and if we sorted out the above flaws who wants to pay a mathematical billion £/$1000000000000

4. something goes wrong we now have a rogue black hole near us not good

5. anti-mater power seems safer and that's dealing with 10000+ rads of gamma radiation

Hope you don't hate me for this massive killjoy

[Bandit]

Yeah hate be a kill joy but well there are some flaws in that plan

1. we need a black hole to warp space like that

2. we would cook as the temp inside the warped space will heat up over 60000 degrease Celsius

3. think of the cost and if we sorted out the above flaws who wants to pay a mathematical billion £/$1000000000000

4. something goes wrong we now have a rogue black hole near us not good

5. anti-mater power seems safer and that's dealing with 10000+ gamma radiation

Hope you don't hate me for this massive killjoy

Curious were you got all this information. Reason I ask is all matter warps spacetime.

For "warp drive" (hate to pun a trek term here) to essentially work all you got to do is fold spacetime around the craft preceding the front and ending just past the aft section. The tricky part is creating a neutral bubble per se to encapsulate the craft so that the spacial distortions dont rip the craft to pieces.

Its not like it isnt possible. Freaking UFOs have been doing it for years....

[Grenage]

I wonder if the Vulcans will pick up the signal from the lab and come pay us a visit a tad earlier.

I just hope it's the Vulcans...


Your technological and biological distinctiveness will be added to our own....

[mythic97]

Curious were you got all this information. Reason I ask is all matter warps spacetime.

For "warp drive" (hate to pun a trek term here) to essentially work all you got to do is fold spacetime around the craft preceding the front and ending just past the aft section. The tricky part is creating a neutral bubble per se to encapsulate the craft so that the spacial distortions dont rip the craft to pieces.

Its not like it isnt possible. Freaking UFOs have been doing it for years....
I know mater warps space!
And if a UFO did show up there would be global earthquakes earth would then fall into the black hole used by the warp drive and we will find three thing out
1. does life exist?
2. the friewall hypothesis
3. what happens inside a black hole
You could harness dark matter but we will have to go technically out side the galaxy to get some in large amounts
And no more Linux!

[Bandit]

I just hope it's the Vulcans...

I am hoping for Klingons! tlhIngan maH!

[mythic97]

I am hoping for Klingons! tlhIngan maH!

I am hoping they fix all of those issues i mentioned so we won't die horribly

[synaptix]

Shouldn't we be researching into FTL/Jump drives before going into warp research?

[mythic97]

Shouldn't we be researching into FTL/Jump drives before going into warp research?
ermmm?
FTL flight is imposable Einstein proved this
this moves the universe not the spaceship bit like in that futurama
and it works in theory but is a bit mad and makes me want to tear a hole the the fabric of the universe

>0---------------------------------------------0 >
a bit like that still FTL flight works only in other reality maybe?
So we will have to cross universes and lets not get too ahead of our selves yet?
I bet they only move one quark!

[synaptix]

...

Nothing is impossible.

[Grenage]

Indeed, merely improbable according to the current understanding of a theory.

[mythic97]

Nothing is impossible.
But not in this universe I am afraid

[QIII]

The Earth is flat and the oceans fall off a precipice so you can't sail to Asia from Europe, you can't travel faster than 70 mph on a train because that will kill a man because he won't be able to breathe, you can't go faster than the speed of sound in Earth's atmosphere, you can't get to space, you can't get to orbit, you can't get to the Moon, you can't ...

Oh. You get the picture. The only thing in this Universe you can't do is get an actual cup of good coffee at Starbucks. Impossible.

[QIII]

But not in this universe I am afraid

Why not?

[Statia]

Its not like it isnt possible. Freaking UFOs have been doing it for years....

Here is a good book for you:

http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354037777&sr=1-3&keywords=carl+sagan

[synaptix]

Why not?

I'm also awaiting an explanation.

[CharlesA]

Just think of space as the thing that is moving...

[mythic97]

I'm also awaiting an explanation.

many world hypothesis look it up

[synaptix]

many world hypothesis look it up

Ok, but that still doesn't explain why you think my statement of "nothing is impossible" is invalid.

[lisati]

Perhaps the differences of opinion are due to the fact that in many places the coffee is almost but not quite entirely unlike tea.

[QIII]

many world hypothesis look it up

Flag on the field! Debate foul!

15 yard penalty for "Suggesting that your opponent is responsible for proving your point."

Still first down.

;)

[mythic97]

Ok, but that still doesn't explain why you think my statement of "nothing is impossible" is invalid.
You asked...
well quantum physics states that anything can happen explained by Schroedinger's cat and then after some thinking people brought up the many world hypnoses stating that if there are two options but only one outcome then the universe splits universe A is outcome a and universe B is outcome this allows all options to happen but not in this universe we don't know if this is true but it seems to work so far in physics
so everything is possible but not in this one at least.

[QIII]

Unless, of course, this is the universe that split off and the thing is possible here, we being the evil Spock and Kirk and all.

By the way, Schroedinger's thought experiment really doesn't prove anything and if it did it would not be what you are trying to prove.

But, hey. Lighten up. This is supposed to be light hearted.

Besides, the beauty of "warp drive" is that it doesn't even ask the traveler to go FTL relative to the space they are in.

[Bandit]

Shouldn't we be researching into FTL/Jump drives before going into warp research?

FTL is impossible, E=mc'2 proves that the faster an object travels the more more mass an object has. Thus you get to a point right before light speed that you start to exert more energy trying to move the object then is possible. (if I worded that correctly). Which also means its not efficient means of travel period. Not to mention the safety issues. Travel 100km/h and hit a spec of dust in space. It would blow a whole through a Sherman tank a foot wide.. Not good.. Space is very very dusty and also full of rocks.

Folding space time in a warp bubble per se doesnt have these issues. Anything that falls into the warp bubble is in normal space un aware of the space craft moving about other then just being gently pushed out of the way.

[eddier]

Nothing is impossible.

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! I did nothing all day yesterday.

eddie

[MG&TL]

Flag on the field! Debate foul!

15 yard penalty for "Suggesting that your opponent is responsible for proving your point."


Lol!

Can we employee you on the flamewars to referee?

[QIII]

Lol!

Can we employee you on the flamewars to referee?

Heck no! I'd get flamed!

[mips]

Never read the OP but I want a Romulan Bird of Prey! But until such time it materialises I will put my faith in Mr. Sulu!

http://www.aglbical.org/GeorgeTakei2.jpg

[MG&TL]

Heck no! I'd get flamed!

Huh, and I thought there was no demand for flamegrilled donkey steaks. Clearly I was wrong. ;)

[alexfish]

I Vote for:
http://www.startrek.com/legacy_media/images/200307/gal-mov-vii-04/320x240.jpg


PS : One $49.99 Model Zone rocket for sale + Kite

Have Upgraded to $99.99 rocket + solar windpanel

[lisati]

I'll vote for the infinite improbability drive (http://hitchhikers.wikia.com/wiki/Infinite_Improbability_Drive) any day.

[QIII]

I have my towel right here.

[mips]

I'll vote for the infinite improbability drive (http://hitchhikers.wikia.com/wiki/Infinite_Improbability_Drive) any day.

I'll stick you for a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster and we can discuss it, I doubt anybody would remember the conversation though :biggrin:

[QIII]

We need to introduce some of the Forum Staff Vogons' grandmothers to the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal.

[CharlesA]

I have my towel right here.
You too? I've got one in my car at all times...

[DukeOfMixture]

Never read the OP but I want a Romulan Bird of Prey! But until such time it materialises I will put my faith in Mr. Sulu!

There you go!


http://www.startrek.com/legacy_media/images/200303/voy-181-romulan-warbirds-attac/320x240.jpg
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/attachments/off-topic-misc/33582d1157777057-40-years-star-trek-romulan_female_uniform.jpg

ROWSER!


There you go, killjoy. The temperature just went "up over 60000 degrease Celsius".

[Gremlinzzz]

NASA scientist working on "Warp" drive.
How did this info leak out of area 51?
:popcorn:
If they shared this info, you can imagine what they have that's secret.
Maybe those UFOs are made by NASA.

[Bandit]

Sadly I dont see none of the geniuses at NASA figuring out warp theory if they cant even seem to get sub-light propulsion down. Warp field alone will not move you, you need still need a low speed propulsion system to move you around inside the field. No way in heck I would ride a ship carrying 20 tons of Hydrogen and Oxygen surrounded by a warp field.. Its just asking for trouble.. Ion Propulsion is a joke in it current state. It takes on average 3 to 6 months for a ion engine to push a satellite the size of a small car up to 30k per hour.. Its got the high end speed needed just not the torque curve for large vessels.

[StinkySQL]

Will they still have sandwiches?

[KiwiNZ]

you all have to wait until 2063

[cwejg]

Will they still have sandwiches?

Yeah but no Twinkie!!

[sffvba[e0rt]

Scientist at Nasa: "Well we have the beginning concept of a real "warp drive" :) "
Dude on internet forum: "Can't be done."
Other dude on internet forum: "lolcats :D"

I do like the idea of the Romulans but I always saw them as mere extra's in the earlier shows. Now if I had a choice I would like a Klingon Bird of Prey...


404

[AstroLlama]

and obviously whatever computer system operating that is going to have to be linux. I can see it now...

5 seconds to warp, 4, 3, 2, 1, error: nvidia driver causes Xorg to crash

noooo

For the record: I think linux is the best!

[3rdalbum]

Warp drive is for sissies. What we really need is Ludicrous Speed!

[Bandit]

Warp drive is for sissies. What we really need is Ludicrous Speed!

LOL, you just made me want to watch Space Balls again.. I love that movie.. Its like my top 10 movies of all time..

[jockyburns]

and obviously whatever computer system operating that is going to have to be linux. I can see it now...

5 seconds to warp, 4, 3, 2, 1, error: nvidia driver causes Xorg to crash



Easily solved by Scottie sticking in an ATI video card, into the Commodore 64 computer. :D :D :D :D :D :D

[mythic97]

Warp drive powered by windows: in middle of jump a windows security update is available download now? Y/N
Warp drive powered by OS X: the drive itself costs £20000000 but the OS only costs £5000
Warp drive powered by Linux: Error Nevada ship attacking engage openGL?

[QIII]

Can't remember where I saw it, but on a spoof of old movies showing a galley full of slaves rowing an ancient warship, the following commands are given...



Cruising speed!

Battle speed!

Ramming speed!

Waterskiing speed!


What was missed, of course, was

Warp speed!

But that leads to the question of whether the hull of a trireme could withstand the forces generated by warp drive, which many historians doubt.

[haqking]

it takes 43 attempts to create a portal to another universe as Sheldon proved it, so I reckon at least more than that until we have a warp drive, besides i think it was a spelling mistake, the heat would make it a warped drive !

[QIII]

Bah! Sheldon.

If you listen carefully, in one episode he thinks he is making a clever joke in Klingon, but he unwittingly makes a shockingly vulgar remark about Penny's grandparents.

I don't believe a thing he says any more.

[haqking]

Bah! Sheldon.

If you listen carefully, in one episode he thinks he is making a clever joke in Klingon, but he unwittingly makes a shockingly vulgar remark about Penny's grandparents.

I don't believe a thing he says any more.

Anytime i hear anything about Penny i think of something vulgar (well what others would describe as vulgar, I am quite comforatable with it ;-) so I wouldnt notice .

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

Just think of space as the thing that is moving...

However, we still need to learn how to steer to get where we want to go. :)

[lisati]

However, we still need to learn how to steer to get where we want to go. :)

I heard a rumour that you shouldn't leave the handbrake on, like Captain Kirk did in his enthusiasm for getting the newly refitted and largely untested Enterprise on its way to check out V'ger.

[zer010]

THis was my thought a while back...
Supposedly, the Higgs boson is responsible for mass, If I understand correctly. If the reason no particle/object can reach the speed of a photon(light) is because it's mass increases the closer it gets to c... If we could repel additional Higgs bosons or even reduce the current amount in a given object, wouldn't that solve the light speed barrier? ^_^?

However some interesting points were pointed out and I'm sure the energy required to do such things would be enormous... perhaps not supernova, tear-a-hole-in-spacetime enormous, but dang close....

[twinaxel]

Not quite on topic! http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/esa_sabre_clearance/

[Swagman]

Amateurs

Base ships & Cylon Raiders FTW

[mythic97]

THis was my thought a while back...
Supposedly, the Higgs boson is responsible for mass, If I understand correctly. If the reason no particle/object can reach the speed of a photon(light) is because it's mass increases the closer it gets to c... If we could repel additional Higgs bosons or even reduce the current amount in a given object, wouldn't that solve the light speed barrier? ^_^?

However some interesting points were pointed out and I'm sure the energy required to do such things would be enormous... perhaps not supernova, tear-a-hole-in-spacetime enormous, but dang close....
the higgs field may be able to be turned off but then your ship will have to dodge dust that because of your speed will go through you like a hot knife through butter
and how do you turn it back on?

[mythic97]

You know I think that instead of the warp drive idea I think giving the universe a new glory hole and by that I mean worm holes or just getting out of this universal dust ball and head to the minecraft universe or Linux universe that should be the goal we need a lot of stuff but if we tried we could do it maybe warping space so the universe goes past us and another takes its place we will one day need this skill as the universe will freeze over or blow up so I think this is fixing some flaws so why don't we after all warp drives are for puffs
ref: (many quantum physics hypothesise, string theory, dark energy hypothesise, heat displacement hypothesise,)
just some food for through

[MG&TL]

You know I think that instead of the warp drive idea I think giving the universe a new glory hole and by that I mean worm holes or just getting out of this universal dust ball and head to the minecraft universe or Linux universe that should be the goal we need a lot of stuff but if we tried we could do it maybe warping space so the universe goes past us and another takes its place we will one day need this skill as the universe will freeze over or blow up so I think this is fixing some flaws so why don't we after all warp drives are for puffs

I'm sorry, what?!

Normally I'm not a fan of posts purely expressing incomprehension, but in this case I'll make an exception.

[alexfish]

so will I:

http://www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk/icons_of_invention/img/IM.1097_el.jpg

[entryubu]

I didn't know that with our current materials we could build a ship that can resist such speeds.

[Gremlinzzz]

:popcorn:Warp Theory in 2 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fPmCKt48Zw
Keep it simple!

[alexfish]

I didn't know that with our current materials we could build a ship that can resist such speeds.
Lets suppose nothing can go faster than the speed of light,

then we build the whole shebang out of nothing . Simple :)

[lisati]

:popcorn:Warp Theory in 2 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fPmCKt48Zw
Keep it simple!

Two minutes (combined with distractions coming in from life off the forum) is a bit short for me to get my head round all the ideas needed for a useful comprehension of the POV presneted. The bit about "compressing" the space in front of the ship and "expanding" it behind the ship reminded me a bit of the Doppler Effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppler_effect), which, AFAIK, is one related to perception being altered, rather than actual changes in the reality being perceived.

[Gremlinzzz]

:popcorn:One of the basic arguments against ufo visits has always been that traveling faster than light was impossible..
Well, it seems it isn't after all.

Michio Kaku: Faster than light speed is possible!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJZXDEUOao0

[QIII]

lisati -- the analogy is more akin to surfing. ;)

Again...

So, again, folks: warping space removes the need to travel FTL relative to the space the vehicle would be occupying. In fact, it might be completely stationary.

If I am standing in the front door of my house and you bend space so that lisati's front door is right outside it I only have to take one step to get into lisati's house. Since humans walk at roughly 2 to 4 mph, I don't have to be going fast at all.

That space can be bent is well accepted. Massive objects do it all the time. The trick is to bend space without carrying a black hole around in your back pocket.

[MasterNetra]

ermmm?
FTL flight is imposable Einstein proved this
this moves the universe not the spaceship bit like in that futurama
and it works in theory but is a bit mad and makes me want to tear a hole the the fabric of the universe

>0---------------------------------------------0 >
a bit like that still FTL flight works only in other reality maybe?
So we will have to cross universes and lets not get too ahead of our selves yet?
I bet they only move one quark!

I doubt it will tear a hole in space, from what can be seen not even super massive blackholes tear the "fabric" of spacetime. It does some serious warping but no tearing.


lisati -- the analogy is more akin to surfing. ;)

Again...

So, again, folks: warping space removes the need to travel FTL relative to the space the vehicle would be occupying. In fact, it might be completely stationary.

If I am standing in the front door of my house and you bend space so that lisati's front door is right outside it I only have to take one step to get into lisati's house. Since humans walk at roughly 2 to 4 mph, I don't have to be going fast at all.

That space can be bent is well accepted. Massive objects do it all the time. The trick is to bend space without carrying a black hole around in your back pocket.

I suspect that movement + the warping might get us to point B faster, but then again we'll see once its developed.

[lisati]

lisati -- the analogy is more akin to surfing. ;)

Again...

So, again, folks: warping space removes the need to travel FTL relative to the space the vehicle would be occupying. In fact, it might be completely stationary.

If I am standing in the front door of my house and you bend space so that lisati's front door is right outside it I only have to take one step to get into lisati's house. Since humans walk at roughly 2 to 4 mph, I don't have to be going fast at all.

That space can be bent is well accepted. Massive objects do it all the time. The trick is to bend space without carrying a black hole around in your back pocket.

I suspected that it was something like that, but with Mrs Lisati chatting about the day's chores and some contracters working outside (related to the installation of a new water main on our street) my mind was elsewhere.

[QIII]

My mind is frequently elsewhere. The trouble is that I often don't know where it is.

[Ender Shadow]

Does NASA even have the funding to make a "Warp" drive?

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

The equations may say that FTL is possible using warp-drive; however, does anyone know how to convert the equations into an actual functioning drive?

[QIII]

I'm not sure that the steam engine was conceived before there was another problem someone wanted to solve. Savery, for instance, was looking for a way to pump water out of mines. His wasn't exactly a steam engine as we conceive of it today, but it led to guys like Newcomen and Watt turning it into the steam engine we recognize.

My question about warp drive is the following:

Say you and I are standing on the edge of the Milky Way at one end of a line that bisects the galaxy. There is another line perpendicular to the one we are on, bisecting the galaxy.

If we fold the point to our right (1/4 of the way around the galaxy) and I take one step to that point, then we fold the point opposite you to the point I am at and I step across, then we fold the point to your left to the point across from you and I take a step and finally we fold the point to your left back to you and I step across, do I appear to your left now, in your frame of time, both of us only having aged in your time as much as we would have had I taken four steps around you without circumnavigating the galaxy?

That's an extreme case, since "warp drive" is notionally somewhat less aggressive. Take it back down to the "wave" analogy. What happens to our relative ages if I ride a "warp wave" somewhere and then return? Have our relative ages increased exactly as much as the time I have perceived while traveling? After all, I was not traveling at the speed of light, but only, say, a few hundred miles per hour relative to the space my ship occupied.

Warp drive will be really useful only if it actually solves the relativity issue with regard to human life scales.

Edit: For interstellar travel. Travel on scales in our solar system would net relative time changes on the order of a few hours to a few days, perhaps.

[Bandit]

The equations may say that FTL is possible using warp-drive; however, does anyone know how to convert the equations into an actual functioning drive?

FTL (Faster Then Light) travel is fundamentally different then "Warp Drive". FTL you actually push the craft faster then light, which is impossible mind you based on Einsteins Theory of Relativity. Warp drive however moves or allows the moving of space/time around the craft. An example of Warp Theory is lets say someone standing on the Red Carpet of a big movie premier. The carpet is 200 feet long. If the person takes steps walking to the end of the carpet every 2ft apart and it takes him/her 10 mins to the end of the carpet where they are sitting, then they traveled 100 steps/10mins. But if lets say we applied warp theory to the carpet and shorted it up to 50ft, the person would only have to travel 25 steps in 2.5mins, getting to their seat in 1/4th the time. Mind you this is a generalization and you would never try to warp your entire travel path. But it gives you an idea. This is also not saying you cant not apply a FTL system while using Warp Drive. You could if FTL was possible. Because depending on the type of warp theory you use, some use it to push a craft like riding a wave surfing, others like myself use it as a bubble to just fold space/time around the craft and still require a extra propulsion system to move the craft.

[Paqman]

Alcubierre drives are not a practical technology.

(I haven't read this whole thread, so apologies if these issues have been raised already)

They rely on us somehow having access to mindbogglingly vast amounts of a completely hypothetical type of energy. We have no idea if there is any such thing as the "negative energy" required to make the maths work.

Even if this type of energy does exist, the amount of energy it would require is absolutely stupendous. Under the conditions Alcubierre outlined moving a bubble a hundred meters across would require the ship to convert the entire mass of the universe to energy. Which begs the question: where would you go, if you'd have to destroy everything that exists just to get there?

Even the most optimistic tweaks to his numbers still require our Alcubierre ship to annihilate a large gas giant every time it wants to go somewhere. Which begs the question: where is this ship supposed to store it's big fuel tank full of Jupiters?

Quite apart from that is the problem of the massive wall of high energy particles that would build up at the leading edge of an Alcubierre bubble. When the ship decelerated these would be liberated, and would be powerful enough to sterlise whatever hapless planet was your destination. Sounds great as a weapon, but bl**dy dangerous as a method of transport.

[mythic97]

Alcubierre drives are not a practical technology.

(I haven't read this whole thread, so apologies if these issues have been raised already)

They rely on us somehow having access to mindbogglingly vast amounts of a completely hypothetical type of energy. We have no idea if there is any such thing as the "negative energy" required to make the maths work.

Even if this type of energy does exist, the amount of energy it would require is absolutely stupendous. Under the conditions Alcubierre outlined moving a bubble a hundred meters across would require the ship to convert the entire mass of the universe to energy. Which begs the question: where would you go, if you'd have to destroy everything that exists just to get there?
Anti mater We have made about 30 particles of it so far not exactly Jupiter is it?
Do you know the other flaws using super massive black holes is a bit mad but need to get the right mass amount so if you could say that we need to move the milky way then a trench of anti gravity using dark energy (or more Anti mater) that will move space apart and we will need a galaxy wall of this stuff so yes if you move the heavens you can use a warp drive
a bit like saying you can create life if your god
So don't expect to warp for 30000 years (that's optimistic)
oh and did I mention the temp WILL reach 30000 digresses kelvin

[sffvba[e0rt]

Alcubierre drives are not a practical technology.

(I haven't read this whole thread, so apologies if these issues have been raised already)

They rely on us somehow having access to mindbogglingly vast amounts of a completely hypothetical type of energy. We have no idea if there is any such thing as the "negative energy" required to make the maths work.


You didn't need to have read the whole thread, but if you read the article in the OP you would have seen that the energy issue which was the limiting factor has been negated... well on paper ;)


404

[Paqman]

Anti mater We have made about 30 particles of it so far not exactly Jupiter is it?


Antimatter is real and obeys the laws of physics nicely. Negative energy is something we've never observed and (by definition) breaks all the rules.

See also Handwavium (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handwavium).

[Paqman]

You didn't need to have read the whole thread, but if you read the article in the OP you would have seen that the energy issue which was the limiting factor has been negated... well on paper ;)


404

Blocked at work, what's the potted version?

[mythic97]

I think this is just crazy if they attempt this, warp space! aint that a bit unsafe?
and on paper it might work on paper!
can't wait for america to get warped to another side of the universe!

[jfreak_]

@Paqman As I understand, this guy proposes to change the bubble around the 'ship' to something closer to a oscillating doughnut shaped thingy. This he says will reduce the energy required from jupiter sized body to 1600 pounds of mass-energy.

Which leads me to the question, the reduction proposed is significant, but isn't 1600 pounds of mass-energy a bit too much considering the amount of energy released in an atomic bomb for the conversion of a negligible mass into energy.
Mathematically, energy required is still 800*9*(10^18 ) Joules, roughly equal to 10^14 litres of gasoline.

Maybe I missed it but how much distance am I supposed to cover with this much energy?

[Paqman]

Which leads me to the question, the reduction proposed is significant, but isn't 1600 pounds of mass-energy a bit too much
considering the amount of energy released in an atomic bomb for the conversion of a negligible mass into energy.
Mathematically, energy required is still 800*9*(10^18 ) Joules, roughly equal to 10^14 litres of gasoline.


*gets out napkin*
10^18J is roughly equivalent to the entire energy output of our civilisation over 10 days. So realistically you're talking about a one-shot vehicle that would need to move between refueling depots, or one that takes a looooong time to refuel after a jump.



Maybe I missed it but how much distance am I supposed to cover with this much energy?

I'm also unclear on this. I gather this is the amount of energy that it would take to create the warp in space, which then presumably "rolls downhill", but I've not seen any numbers on what kind of acceleration you'd get. And how do you decelerate? Do you have to reverse the field? What sort of power input would it take to maintain the field? And how do you steer?

[alexfish]

I'm also unclear on this. I gather this is the amount of energy that it would take to create the warp in space, which then presumably "rolls downhill", but I've not seen any numbers on what kind of acceleration you'd get. And how do you decelerate? Do you have to reverse the field? What sort of power input would it take to maintain the field? And how do you steer?

Think U need at least Two Rudders

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuRvujRFsjY

[Bandit]

I think this is just crazy if they attempt this, warp space! aint that a bit unsafe?
and on paper it might work on paper!
can't wait for america to get warped to another side of the universe!

LOL actually all mass warps space/time anyway. So if done correctly it can be safe, done incorrectly it could just prove bad for the ship/craft.

[Paqman]

LOL actually all mass warps space/time anyway. So if done correctly it can be safe, done incorrectly it could just prove bad for the ship/craft.

Well, safe for the spacecraft maybe. Not so much for everybody else (http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/140635-the-downside-of-warp-drives-annihilating-whole-star-systems-when-you-arrive). Looks like this warp bubble would hoover up charged particles from the ISM and dump them all at the destination.

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

The equations may say that FTL is possible using warp-drive; however, does anyone know how to convert the equations into an actual functioning drive?
FTL (Faster Then Light) travel is fundamentally different then "Warp Drive"...........

Ignoring the semantics, and using leyman terms:

If I point a beam of light at a destination 10 light years away, and allow it to travel through normal space, it will get to the destination in approximatly 10 years. Approximately 10 years; because, in normal space there are objects with mass that warp space/time.

Now use a warp-drive to move your spacecraft to the same destination 10 light years away. It will get there before the light beam; therefore, faster than light (FTL). How much faster depends on how well you can warp space/time.

I still haven't read where anyone has identified the matter or energy that will make a warp-drive practical. All I have read is about an oscillating doughnut made of something using some sort of energy to make a bubble and warp space/time.

Back to my original question, does anyone know what the some type of matter and some sort of energy is that is needed to convert the equations into an actual functioning drive?

This sound as much like science as the BBC "Doctor Who" children's program from the 1970's. The Time Lords harnessed the power of a back hole to send their TARDIS's (TARDIS = Time and Relative Dimension in Space) through space and time. :)

[Beardedturtle]

All we need is a UK Police Box (Dr. Who)

[QIII]

It's been a while since my kids were teenagers, but I think I remember that they, teenagers that is, may hold the key here.

They behave somewhat like black holes. If food gets too close to the event horizon, such as when a 6' 3", 210 lb lacrosse-playing teenager (yes, he was!) sticks his head into the refrigerator, the food is inexorably sucked into a swirling, superheated vortex and is never seen again.

That, consequently, has a long-distance effect in that the wallet of the parent is instantaneously emptied with a disconcerting "whoooosh!"

The problem is that teenagers could never be harnessed for warp drive because, as we all know, you can never get a teenager to do anything you want them to.

[alexfish]

It's been a while since my kids were teenagers, but I think I remember that they, teenagers that is, may hold the key here.

They behave somewhat like black holes. If food gets too close to the event horizon, such as when a 6' 3", 210 lb lacrosse-playing teenager (yes, he was!) sticks his head into the refrigerator, the food is inexorably sucked into a swirling, superheated vortex and is never seen again.

That, consequently, has a long-distance effect in that the wallet of the parent is instantaneously emptied with a disconcerting "whoooosh!"

The problem is that teenagers could never be harnessed for warp drive because, as we all know, you can never get a teenager to do anything you want them to.

Now I understand "Duh ... Um ... Durp!"

Where I come come from the better half knows better... ""Duh ... Um ... Durp!""

tIme is time to get a warp Durb and get off this planet "Duh ... Um ... Durp!"

Duh ... Um ... Durp! . I just have to say "Duh ... Um ... Durp!" again :P

[mythic97]

All we need is a UK Police Box (Dr. Who)


You know the mpg on one of those things!

[lisati]

You know the mpg on one of those things!

I have a DVD copy of this (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0611652/) show. The main catch (other than copyright issues) is that the phone box used by the gentleman in question is the "wrong" colour, and smells of fish and chips.

[cwejg]

Can you partition a warp drive?:confused:

[Paqman]

Back to my original question, does anyone know what the some type of matter and some sort of energy is that is needed to convert the equations into an actual functioning drive?


No, which is one of the main things that makes me not take it seriously. The best the NASA guy can come up with is "Er, maybe something Casimir-related?" and he only says that because it's an effect that violates some of the principles this required "negative energy" source would have to. I don't know much about that kind of physics, but it doesn't sound like a solid hypothesis to me, more a stab in the dark.

TL;DR: Requires unobtainium fuel = yeah right.

[ads2996]

That sounds awesome

[Gremlinzzz]

:popcorn:So they can Warp out of here before 12/21/2012!

[Paqman]

:popcorn:So they can Warp out of here before 12/21/2012!

Shouldn't be a problem, as there will never be a 12/21/2012. There are only 12 months in a year ;)

[Cheesemill]

Well done :)

I've never understood that crazy numbering scheme, surely going from least significant > most significant bit makes more sense than just throwing your numbers in a hat and picking them at random.