So I have this idea .... Synthetic mas

[Andy SV]

Basically I want to build a notional interstellar drive its very powerful and scales up in efficiency and size at the same time
I am 90% done and would like to hear what you all think.
Start with a hydrogen oxygen torch
Pump up the flame with a microwave beam
Feed the plasma into a particle accelerator
As relative velocity builds resistance to further velocity builds
The closer the plasma gets to C the more effective the drive

 

[Drakkith]

What you're describing is similar to an ion drive.

 

[OmCheeto]

...
The closer the plasma gets to C the more effective the drive

Interesting...
"relativistic ion engine"
pulls up no hits here at PF.

Off the top of my head, I'm going to guess that this is over my head.
But that never stopped me before, from asking follow-up questions.

According to wiki:

Energy–momentum relation

E² = (pc)² + (m₀c²)²​

I know you said;

I am 90% done and would like to hear what you all think.

but I'm not in the mood to read your entire theory, so could you just describe your analysis of the above equation.

Just thinking about the problem makes my brain hurt.

 

[Andy SV]

As far as the drive I believe makes for a dead spot of low ... um let's call it weight
In the plasma stream. the faster you go the harder it is to get the plasma heavy.
I think past 30% or so it's all up hill

 

[OmCheeto]

As far as the drive I believe makes for a dead spot of low ... um let's call it weight
In the plasma stream. the faster you go the harder it is to get the plasma heavy.
I think past 30% or so it's all up hill

I just noticed that this is posted in the "Science Fiction and Fantasy" forum. Ooops!
I was really hoping this was a serious project.
But after googling for about 2 hours, I accumulated a boatload of questions, most of which, looking at the discussions, I can't comprehend.

Examples:

Does the Newton's law of conservation of momentum hold when dealing with relativistic space engines?:

Per wiki; "It can also be generalized to situations where Newton's laws do not hold, for example in the theory of relativity and in electrodynamics."​

Ok then... What have the brainiacs at PF discussed about this?:

Violation of Newton's Third Law

I have no idea what those people where talking about.​

Anyways... Since this is science fiction, I don't see a problem.

ps. Would you like to hear about my neutron decay warp engine?
Actual science RUINED it!

 

[Andy SV]

No I posted it in another section but it was locked and then put hear
As far as I can figure the drive will work. All the needed technology is on the shelf. If I had a few billion someone would be on mars
Where would you go with a constant one G ?

 

[OmCheeto]

No I posted it in another section but it was locked and then put hear

Yay! I religiously [try to] stay out of certain forums here at the forum. Sci-fi is one of them.

As far as I can figure the drive will work.

Everything works, when you don't know how things work. My guess is that someone here at the forum has previously worked out the maths, and decided your idea was fiction.

All the needed technology is on the shelf.

So, space travel is just a matter of connecting lego blocks of technologies?

If I had a few billion someone would be on mars

Oh. Mars. I was thinking interstellar. My bad.

Where would you go with a constant one G ?

That was one of my first computer programs I wrote!
And, hmmm... , it was a trip to Mars.

 

[Andy SV]

Ok so if it's trash what makes it so
Other than a knee jerk ...oh hay space drive watch out hear come the tin hats...
Let's brake in down
One push for push equal and opposite if you push on something hard to move you react more than pushing something that is easy to move. Two what is harder to push than the light limit, nothing. You can push all you want with tons of force it will never brake the light limit. But what happens to the pusher? Tons and tons of force...
So what's the part that's broken?

 

[Evo]

No I posted it in another section but it was locked and then put hear
As far as I can figure the drive will work. All the needed technology is on the shelf. If I had a few billion someone would be on mars
Where would you go with a constant one G ?

This doesn't belong in Science fiction movie and book reviews either which is where you posted it.

I've moved it to book writing, but this thread is still against the rules.

 

[Andy SV]

I am fairly certain I posted this in general discussion.
It involves. E = mc 2, equation in German-born physicist Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity that shows that the increased relativistic mass (m) of a body comes from the energy of motion of the body—that is, its kinetic energy (E)—divided by the speed of light squared.
And that other fellow Isaac Newton with... Formally stated, Newton's third law is: For every action, there is an equal and oppositereaction. The statement means that in every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The size of the forces on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object
No new theory definitely not broken crockery and certainly published
So tell me please what rule I broke I will not do so again

 

[Andy SV]

Ok let's not let my knotted knickers spoil the discussion.
So... off the shelf was my claim yes well then let's give proof
http://www.economist.com/news/scien...cs-seems-have-insatiable-appetite-bigger-more
Click that and then this one
https://www.ted.com/talks/kirk_sorensen_thorium_an_alternative_nuclear_fuel

 

[Evo]

So tell me please what rule I broke I will not do so again

From our rules, basically all of them.

There can be no speculation about the real world and about known science. Rather, all speculative theories must be about a world which is different (although similar) from our own. Writers must give some kind of indication in what way their world is different from our world.

Discussions of the internal workings of a fictional universe are allowed but any attempt to discuss speculative fiction ideas with regard to the real world is not. For example: discussing the pros/cons/handwavium of a fictional technology with regards to a plot is perfectly ok but asking how such technology could be built in the real world and what the ramifications would be is not.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/rules-expectations-in-using-the-writers-forum.631327/

 

[Andy SV]

I did not post this in fiction!
Your chocolate looking xylon buddy drakkith is the one that put this thread here.
If it's not a good fit talk to him about that ... I mean come on seriously it wasn't good enough to fit with pink underwear kitty cats and lame jokes?

 

[Drakkith]

This doesn't belong in Science fiction movie and book reviews either which is where you posted it.

I am fairly certain I posted this in general discussion.

My apologies, I moved it from General Discussion to Sci-Fi. Since you originally posted this in GD and most of your posts prior to this had be in the sci-fi writing forum, I thought this was about a fictional device.

I've moved it to book writing, but this thread is still against the rules.

Sorry Evo, I brain derped and moved it to Sci-Fi forum instead of the writing and worldbuilding subforum.

 

[Drakkith]

One push for push equal and opposite if you push on something hard to move you react more than pushing something that is easy to move. Two what is harder to push than the light limit, nothing. You can push all you want with tons of force it will never brake the light limit. But what happens to the pusher? Tons and tons of force...
So what's the part that's broken?

As I said in post #2, your device sounds sort of like a standard ion engine (or ion thruster) in that it propels charged particles for propulsion. Note that both ion engines and normal rocket engines get more fuel efficient as exhaust velocity increases. That is nothing new. For chemical rockets you are limited by the energy provided by the chemical reactions powering the rockets. I believe ion engines are limited mainly by the voltages you can apply before you get breakdowns in the engine. They are also limited by the power requirements needed to accelerate the particles. You can use far less mass for fuel than a chemical rocket, but you need a lot of energy for the engine (whereas chemical rockets need no power at all).

Offhand, your device looks like it would be far too heavy and require too much power to be of any use for spacecraft propulsion compared to other options we already have available. But I admit I haven't crunched any numbers.

 

[Andy SV]

Can I please be let out of the unicorn corral. I promise to be good
And sorry about the chocolate xylon comment
No it's not a fictional device it's just a plan for something no one person can afford to prototype. It's a theoretical device one I believe to buildable

 

[Evo]

Theoretical devices cannot be discussed in the forum, Drakkith was correct in moving it out, he saved you. Personal theories will get you banned. I will allow it here as long as it doesn't get out of hand.

 

[Andy SV]

Ok so went back and read the rules again.
A am sorry I did not at first understand that you actually disallowed new ideas.
I am a little depressed now.
And thanks I guess.

 

[Evo]

Ok so went back and read the rules again.
A am sorry I did not at first understand that you actually disallowed new ideas.
I am a little depressed now.
And thanks I guess.

Thank Drakkith! I admire Drakkith, I'm breaking the rules for him AND you.

Just don't let anyone know.

 

[Andy SV]

So what would be an appropriate way to discuss a what I consider to be equivalent to open source software development but for a device using only proven principles and sound theory

If it helps its actually going to be in a story in a somewhat different less realistic form

 

[Andy SV]

Offhand, your device looks like it would be far too heavy and require too much power to be of any use for spacecraft propulsion compared to other options we already have available. But I admit I haven't crunched any numbers.

So it needs power
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_fluoride_thorium_reactor

And it's to heavy
http://www.economist.com/news/scien...cs-seems-have-insatiable-appetite-bigger-more

The lifter reactor was originally developed for an airplane believe it or not

 

[Drakkith]

So what would be an appropriate way to discuss a what I consider to be equivalent to open source software development but for a device using only proven principles and sound theory

If you're developing something to go into a story, then it's usually right here in the writing and worldbuilding forum. If it's not, but it's not breaking any physical laws, then you can usually talk about it in one of the technical forums provided you remain "rational" about it. We get some folks here who simply ignore any and all criticism and their threads have to be locked. Just keep in mind that developing new things is not really what PF is here for.

 

[Andy SV]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_acceleration

Yeah supporting evidence for my ... Ah ahem plot device

 

[Drakkith]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_acceleration

Yeah supporting evidence for my ... Ah ahem plot device

This thread obviously got off to a wrong start and never recovered. Please start a new one in the appropriate forum.

Thread locked.