3 facts that you might not know about antimatter

[alberto91]

Hi!

I would like to share with you guys some facts you might not know about antimatter:

1º - Recent studies suggest that an antimatter spacecraft could achieve up to 70% the speed of light, reaching Proxima b in just about 6 years.

2º - The maximum time that antimatter has been stored is 405 days.

3º - According to the former Fermilab physicist Gerald Jackson, antimatter rockets could become a reality by 2050.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIgpTrmKUZs&list=PL3RiFKfZj3ptaxqH3te_eKz1ge_CxQxjw&index=1

What are your thoughts about antimatter propulsion?

 

[Drakkith]

3º - According to the former Fermilab physicist Gerald Jackson, antimatter rockets could become a reality by 2050.

Considering the total amount of antimatter ever produced is absolutely miniscule, and that we don't have efficient means of producing it, I can't see how Gerald Jackson's statement could be taken seriously.

What are your thoughts about antimatter propulsion?

It's a nice idea, but one that is extremely far from being realized.

 

[Harperchisari]

Anti-matter in theory is the best form of energy storage, however its like trying to blow up a balloon made of wool: it doesn't store easily, not to mention the fact that it generally releases light, which isn't great for propulsion.

 

[cosmik debris]

1º - Recent studies suggest that an antimatter spacecraft could achieve up to 70% the speed of light, reaching Proxima b in just about 6 years.

When I first read this I thought you meant an a rocket made of anti-matter and was wondering how this could possibly work.

Cheers

 

[phyzguy]

Hi!

I would like to share with you guys some facts you might not know about antimatter:

1º - Recent studies suggest that an antimatter spacecraft could achieve up to 70% the speed of light, reaching Proxima b in just about 6 years.

2º - The maximum time that antimatter has been stored is 405 days.

3º - According to the former Fermilab physicist Gerald Jackson, antimatter rockets could become a reality by 2050.

What are your thoughts about antimatter propulsion?

Let's do a couple of quick calculations. Assume your spacecraft weighs as much as a Boeing 747, m = 400,000 kg. A speed of 70% of the speed of light is a Lorentz factor of γ = 1.4. The kinetic energy required to accelerate to this speed is (γ-1) m c^2 = 1.4*10^22 Joules. So the antimatter needs to store at least this much energy, plus allowance for efficiency. Now how efficient is the production of anti-matter? Today it is extremely inefficient, but let's be generous and say you can get the efficiency up to 1%. So you need about 10^24 Joules of energy to fuel your spacecraft . How much is this? Total world energy production in 2013 was about 6*10^20 Joules. So is it reasonable to you that in the next 30 years you can ramp up world energy production by a factor of almost 10,000, and then use it all to fuel a spacecraft ?

 

[RPinPA]

When I first read this I thought you meant an a rocket made of anti-matter and was wondering how this could possibly work.

I had precisely the same thought. Be careful where you sit!

 

[phinds]

I would like to share with you guys some facts ... What are your thoughts ... ?

My thought is that no, excluding your #2, I don't think you are sharing "facts" at all, except inasmuch as you are repeating nonsense that someone else may in fact have said.

See post #5

 

[berkeman]

Thread closed for a bit for Moderation...

 

[berkeman]

An off-topic discussion has been deleted, so the thread is re-opened. Thanks for your patience.