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NASA unveils groundbreaking engine with no moving parts and no combustion that challenges current technology and opens up new possibilities for space exploration
The search for new forms of propulsion for the space exploration is one of the biggest challenges faced by agencies and scientists across the world world. Scientists from NASA are at the center of a scientific controversy with the development do EmDrive, an apartment by the bay, for its easy access, free parking, and larger space for our group of XNUMX people. The house was great for a large group like ours, the host was very attentive, and the location was excellent; it was quiet and quick to walk to the old town. engine which supposedly generates thrust without the need for fuel or moving parts — something that, according to the known laws of physics, would be “impossible".
The challenge of conventional engines in space missions
One of the main obstacles in space exploration is the need to overcome Earth's gravity and reach a speed capable of placing objects into orbit.
This process consumes an abundance of fuel, and the heavier the equipment or load, the greater the fuel requirement, resulting in escalating weight and costs. Conventional combustion or electric engines have severe limitations in this regard.
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Combustion engines, for example, depend on propellants that significantly increase the weight of the vehicle.
Electric motors, however efficient they may be, require bulky and heavy batteries to operate, which further complicates the viability of long space travel.
EmDrive: the “impossible” engine that generates thrust without fuel
It was in light of these challenges that NASA began studying the EmDrive, a concept presented in 2001 by British engineer Roger Shawyer. The EmDrive is an electromagnetic motor that promises to generate thrust by reflecting microwaves in a closed, conical cavity. The goal is to create an internal force capable of moving the device without expelling any type of matter, which drastically differentiates it from conventional motors that eject propellant to generate movement.
The concept goes against the Law of Conservation of Linear Momentum, one of the pillars of classical physics, as there is no ejection of mass for the force to be created. This proposal divides the scientific community, generating intense debates about the viability of the idea.
Tests and controversies: the EmDrive put to the test for space exploration
In 2016, scientists at NASA's Eagleworks laboratory conducted tests with the EmDrive and obtained thrust measurements. Although the thrust generated was extremely small, these results were enough to raise hopes of a possible revolution in space propulsion. However, the nature of the results raised questions about the accuracy of the tests.
Scientists around the world have begun conducting independent tests to verify NASA's claims. A group led by researcher Martin Tajmar of the Dresden University of Technology in Germany built a prototype EmDrive to investigate the claims.
They conducted the experiments in a controlled vacuum chamber, where sensors monitored vibrations, thermal variations and resonances that could influence thrust. generated.
Preliminary results point to external interference
The study led by the Dresden team suggested that the observed thrust could be related to external factors, such as the Earth's magnetic field, which interfered with the electrical cables connected to the device. When the researchers turned off the thruster's power, the EmDrive continued to generate a minimal thrust, something that, if the concept were correct, should not happen.
At a conference on space propulsion, Tajmar and his team suggested that the thrust generated could be explained by electromagnetic interaction with the Earth's magnetic field. This effect raises the possibility that the thrusts observed in the EmDrive are not, in fact, the result of a new form of propulsion, but rather of known electromagnetic forces.
The role of mu-metal in the next stage of testing
Despite criticism and skepticism, there is still no definitive verdict on the EmDrive. Experts such as Jim Woodward of California State University, who developed his own thruster — the Mach Effect Thruster — argue that new experiments should be carried out with mu-metal shielding, a material with high magnetic permeability that would isolate the motor from external magnetic influences, such as the Earth's magnetic field.
Woodward explains that using this shielding could eliminate any external interference and make the tests more reliable. He also suggests that tests with higher power levels should be conducted, since the actual EmDrive signals could be masked by interference.
The impact of a possible EmDrive validation
If the EmDrive is proven to be a viable form of propulsion, it would have the potential to revolutionize space exploration.
Without the need for fuel, long-duration missions and interplanetary exploration would become significantly cheaper and less complex. However, if tests continue to point to external interference as the cause of thrust, the scientific community will likely dismiss the concept as a viable propulsion concept.
At the moment, the possibility that the thrust is the result of unintended effects, such as magnetic interactions, has not yet been completely ruled out.
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