Relativistic Mass Propulsion or the RMP

[Sariaht]

Plates spinning when they move down and are still when they move up; the plates would have higher mass when moving down then moving up. Should work.

[Janus]

How are the plates spun up? How are they stopped?

[Sariaht]

They are spun up by an engine and stopped by a brake.

[Janus]

They are spun up by an engine and stopped by a brake.

Okay, then here is what will happen:

As you apply the brake to the spinning disk, both it and the brake will heat up. Since the heating of the disk increases the disk's energy (and thus its momentum) you will only decrease its effective mass by the amount of energy that is transfered to the brake as heat. Thus it will retain a great amount of the momentum it had while spinning while moving up again. Also, the heat energy transfered to the brake will carry the downwards momentum with it and transfer to the ship you are trying to move, and you will get no net movement upwards.

The only way you could get any upward movement would be to radiate the energy away before it is transfered to the ship. But if you do that, your upward movement comes from throwing the energy away in the form of photons, and all you have is an inefficient action-reaction engine. It would better to just directly generate the photons and shoot them out the back like a rocket.

[Sariaht]

No, it would not.

[Janus]

No, it would not.
Specifics? Or is that the extent of your argument?

[Sariaht]

Perhaps you're right.

Neutrino propulsion then, NP?

[Lord Flasheart]

Perhaps you're right.

Neutrino propulsion then, NP?

Highly unlikely. Since neutrinos only interact lightly with whole atoms and molecules, you wouldn't be able to apply the right thrust. After all, they could pass through a bar of lead that leads from Earth to Saturn and the neutrinos would barely effect it. The same goes for gamma rays, when trying to manipulate them for a rocket.

Over and out.

[Sariaht]

Sorry! ment neutron propulsion.