UFO Propulsion: Is it Science or Magic?

The practicalities and the mechanics of even the strange, mysterious and the weird, require some basis for their existence and appearances, so enter science. Here is where postulates, hypothesis', theory, and the like, is offered and discussed in support of, and even, against (constructively) such explanations.
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Roger
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UFO Propulsion: Is it Science or Magic?

Post by Roger »

Some years ago, some of us had a discussion concerning the feasibility of various methods of propulsion allowing star travel. That is, human technology, that included conventional, advanced, and exotic technologies.

Naturally, we reached a unanimous conclusion that warp drive, via Star Trek, was the way to go. As enticing as this method is, it's so far out there, even if Miguel Alcubierre's theory is sound (by all accounts, it is) we don't have the technology to create the tools that would make the tools that...Well, suffice to say, we don't know how to make a warp drive,

Part of the problem with star travel, is making a ship large enough to carry ample oxygen, food, and other supplies that a crew is going to need on such a long and distant voyage. Another problem is propelling such a massive craft. The final problem is supplying sufficient fuel to last the entire trip, with enough left over to make the return to Earth.

Some of the options explored back then were:

  1. Generational ships (e.g., combination of drives)
  2. No Internal Mass Propulsion (e.g.,solar wind)
  3. Nuclear Propulsion (e.g., micro-explosion drive)
  4. Electric Propulsion (e.g., electromagnetic drive, electrothermal drive, electrostatic drive )


Since then there have been new avenues of experimentation that hold as much promise, if not more, than those explored in the past.

But, if we are going to understand what lies beyond, and how we can reach that beyond, and to explore the beyond, we need to establish a solid understanding of how extraterrestrial craft can reach the earth, assuming they travel interstellar distances.

The United States Navy has long been interested in space and how to travel the stars. One of their proposals is called "Project Longshot" and a report of those intentions was published in the 1980s. Here is the summary excerpt from that report:

This report presents a preliminary design for an unmanned probe to Alpha Centauri with a planned launch early in the 21st century. This mission was based upon a requirement stated in the report by the National Commission on Space, Pioneering the Space Frontier. The probe would be assembled at the space station and take approximately 100 years to reach the nearest star. Several technologies must be developed in order for this mission to be possible. A pulsed fusion microexplosion drive with 1,000,000 seconds of specific impulse is the primary enabling technology. A large, long-life fission reactor with 300 kilowatts power output is also required. Communications lasers would use a 0.532 micron wavelength since there is minimal power output by the stars in that frequency band. A laser with an input power of 250 kilowatts would allow for a data rate of 1000 bits per second at maximum range. There are three types of information to be gathered by the probe: properties of the interstellar medium, characteristics of the three-star Alpha Centauri system, and astrometry (finding distances to stars using parallax measurements).

PROJECT LONGSHOT
AN UNMANNED PROBE TO ALPHA CENTAUR1
U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY
NASA/USRA University Advanced Design
Program Project Report for 1987- 1988


It's apparent that at least one military branch is interested enough in star travel to propose a project that has a probe reaching Alpha Centauri within one-hundred years! One hundred years. It would probably use a Bussard Ramjet, which would accelerate the probe to about four percent (4%) of speed of light, and get the probe to Alpha Centauri within that one-hundred year time frame.

Well, I could go on and on, but I'll refrain for now, instead I'll leave this open for others to add their two cents worth.


Sources:
Project Longshot
Interstellar Travel
Spacecraft Propulsion
Miguel Alcubierre's Warp Drive
Warp Field Mechanics 101: Warp Drive Works


What reality are you from?
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