Science & Technology

Patent for second-generation EmDrive revealed

By T.K. Randall
October 19, 2016

Image: Science Fiction Starship
Credit: Alorin / CC BY-SA 3.0 (adapted) The electromagnetic propulsion engine, which some scientists believe could herald a new era of spaceflight by replacing conventional chemical rocket engines, has been a hot topic recently.

EmDrive allegedly works by converting electrical power in to thrust without the need for propellant through a process that scientists argue is in direct violation of the laws of physics.

Now British inventor Roger Shawyer, who originally came up with the EmDrive, has received a patent from the UK's Intellectual Property Office for a new and improved version of the device.This second-generation version of the peculiar drive makes it a lot cheaper and easier to produce which should in turn make it easier for researchers to build and test their own units.

"This is pretty significant because it enables you to easily manufacture these things, and we want to produce thousands of them," said Shawyer. "The patent makes the construction of a viable superconducting thruster easier, and it will produce a lot of thrust."

The big test for the EmDrive will come in 2018 when Cannae CEO Guido Feta and German engineer Paul Kocyla launch two cubesats with EmDrive thrusters in to space.

If these experiments prove a success it could potentially revolutionize the space industry.

Source: Inquisitr.com

Tags: EmDrive, NASA