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Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Program

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The Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project (BPP) was a research project funded by NASA from 1996-2002 to study various proposals for revolutionary methods of spacecraft propulsion that would require breakthroughs in physics before they could be realized [1] [2]. During its six years of operational funding, this program received a total investment of $1.2 million.

The Breakthrough Propulsion Physics project addressed a selection of “incremental and affordable” research questions towards the overall goal of propellantless propulsion, hyperfast travel, and breakthrough propulsion methods. By the end of the project, sixteen of these investigations were completed. The results found “about a third were found not to be viable, a quarter have clear opportunities for sequels, and the rest remain unresolved.”[3]

Quantum Vacuum Energy Experiments

The differential sail was another speculative proposal, which appealed to the zero-point energy field. As the Heisenberg uncertainty principle implies that there is no such thing as an exact amount of energy in an exact location, vacuum fluctuations are known to lead to discernible effects such as the Casimir effect. The differential sail was a speculation that it might be possible to induce differences in the pressure of vacuum fluctuations on either side of a sail-like structure—with the pressure being somehow reduced on the forward surface of the sail, but pushing as normal on the raft surface—and thus propel a vehicle forward.[4][2][5]

The Casimir effect was investigated experimentally and analytically under the Breakthrough Propulsion Physics project. This included the construction of MicroElectroMechanical (MEM) rectangular Casimir cavities.[3][6] Theoretical work showed that the effect could be used to create net forces, although the forces would be extremely small.[3][1][7] At the conclusion of the project, the Casimir effect was categorized as an avenue for future research.[1]

Tau Zero Foundation

After funding ended, program manager Marc G. Millis was supported by NASA to complete documentation of results. Frontiers of Propulsion Science was published by the AIAA in February 2009, providing a deeper explanation of several propulsion methods.

Following program cancellation in 2002, Millis and others founded the Tau Zero Foundation to continue pioneering the research.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Millis, Mark G. (Dec 1, 2005). "Assessing Potential Propulsion Breakthroughs" (PDF). New Trends in Astrodynamics and Applications 2: An International Conference; 3-5 Jun. 2005; Princeton, NJ; United States. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b Davis, edited by Marc G. Millis, Eric W.; Gilster, Paul A. (chapter author) (2009). "Recent History of Breakthrough Propulsion Studies". Frontiers of propulsion science. Reston, Va.: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. ISBN 9781615830770. {{cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b c Millis, Mark G. (2004). "Prospects for Breakthrough Propulsion From Physics" (PDF). Retrieved 8 February 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ Millis, Marc G. (September 1997). "Challenge to Create the Space Drive" (PDF). Journal of Propulsion and Power. 13 (5): 577–582. doi:10.2514/2.5215. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  5. ^ Maclay, G. Jordan (17 April 2000). "Analysis of zero-point electromagnetic energy and Casimir forces in conducting rectangular cavities". Physical Review A. 61 (5). doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.61.052110.
  6. ^ Maclay, G. Jordan; Forward, Robert L. (March 2004). "A Gedanken Spacecraft that Operates Using the Quantum Vacuum (Dynamic Casimir Effect)". Foundations of Physics. 34 (3): 477–500. doi:10.1023/B:FOOP.0000019624.51662.50. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
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