Impluse Engines to be a reality by 2030?

Discussion in 'Science and Technology' started by Vito Corleone, Oct 7, 2012.

  1. Vito Corleone

    Vito Corleone Lieutenant Junior Grade Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2012
    Location:
    Somewhere in Space and Time...
    http://www.startrek.com/article/impluse-engines-to-be-a-reality-by-2030

    Seems more realistic than the article I read on Fox News earlier today about NASA conducting a few table-top experiments with 'laser-induced micro spacewarps' or whatever they're going to be called. :wtf:

    Still I like the idea of Impulse being available by 2030. That way, I'll live long enough to see people exploring the Solar System with relative ease, possibly even large-scale colonization of Mars, Luna, et al. :)

    Also, from the article...

    So, Dilithium all this time was a man-made substance? Some kind of curious alloy that for some reason 23rd Century Humans had trouble making even though 21st Century Scientists seem quite confident in their abilities? Okay... :vulcan:
     
  2. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Location:
    Just around the bend.
    Too bad the website for the real article about the engine is down.
     
  3. Vito Corleone

    Vito Corleone Lieutenant Junior Grade Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2012
    Location:
    Somewhere in Space and Time...
  4. gturner

    gturner Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Location:
    Kentucky
    Li6 deuteride is the standard fuel for H-bombs. The first H-bomb used liquid fuel, and when the new solid-fuel weapon was succesfully tested the team sent the message "Why buy a cow when you've got powdered milk?"

    In the article's picture of the test rig, you'll notice very large hex head nuts on the back of the engine. Real deep-space engines require big nuts, and that's why the Air Force seargent at Stargate Command is always walking around with the big crescent wrench.
     
  5. Ronald Held

    Ronald Held Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2005
    Location:
    On the USS Sovereign
    Too bad after half a century that controlled fusion is still attainable.
     
  6. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2010
    Location:
    publiusr
    Similar news
    http://nextbigfuture.com/2012/09/the-fusion-driven-rocket-nuclear.html
    http://www.gizmodo.com/5921673/nucl...-a-spacecraft-to-mars-in-just-weeks?tag=space
    http://uah.edu/news/items/10-research/2501-slapshot-to-deep-space
    http://www.universetoday.com/95991/new-flying-tea-kettle-could-get-us-to-mars-in-weeks-not-months/
    http://www.bautforum.com/showthread...tle”-Could-Get-Us-To-Mars-in-Weeks-Not-Months
    https://plus.google.com/u/0/105704136900260060076/posts
    http://www.csnr.usra.edu/

    More on the Z-pinch
    http://nextbigfuture.com/2012/07/washington-plasma-startup-creates-euv.html#more

    Speaking about fasteners, who ever came up with pop rivets should have been hanged.
     
  7. gturner

    gturner Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Location:
    Kentucky
    What's wrong with pop rivets? You certainly wouldn't want to use dzus fasteners or bolts everywhere.
     
  8. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 1999
    Location:
    USA
    Not really surprising, ground-based fusion should be producing power around the same time.

    RAMA
     
  9. Reynolds

    Reynolds Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2004
    Location:
    Coast City, WA, USA
    Don't current satellites have impulse thrusters? Low power ones I think.
     
  10. Bamarren

    Bamarren Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2012
    Location:
    Mekar Wilderness
    Interesting to see where studies like this are going. Saw ones recently of tractor beams, transporters and warp drive.

    Someone even mentioned they are considering building a "Enterprise-like" ship in some form of space-dock a bit further out from the ISS.

    Actually there are plans to start building space docks on the Moon too - easier to build there, and a hell of a lot less gravity to blast off from, in the long run very plausable, just the getting the stuff there first is the only issue.
     
  11. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Location:
    Just around the bend.
    ^Oh god please, not that stupid "build the Enterprise" crap again. That guy's a loon.

    Where did you read about building "space docks on the moon"? Not gonna happen in any near future time frame if at all. Why build them in a gravity field when you can put them in orbit?

    Hall effect ion thrusters have been used on some satellites in recent years for station keeping. They're not the same as fictional "impulse engines".
     
  12. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2010
    Location:
    publiusr
    Ion drive is what they used in Spock's Brain. Problem is, the impulse is actually better than ion power, so I am going to say that Scotty's mention was of I.O.N. power--with that being an abbreviation of something.

    In real life, ion power is good for slowly building speed. Not useful for lifting off surfaces.
     
  13. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2010
    Location:
    publiusr