Scientists Inch Closer To A Real Working Warp Drive

CALIFORNIA - Most of the science fiction films and television shows of today feature spacecraft that can transverse the vastness of space going faster than the speed of light. Most of the credit for this technological concept rests on Gene Roddenberry for Star Trek which debuted in 1967. Star Wars debuted in 1977 and featured the technology of hyperdrive which operated ships like the “Millennium Falcon” and the “X-wing Starfighter” from planet to planet in a point of hours or minutes.

For a long time, these technological concepts were more fictional than hard systems of knowledge, which were utilized by these storytellers to locate the tale more harmoniously from systems of planets to other systems of planets.

Then in 1994 that was bound for a bit of a revolution when Mexican mathematician Miguel Alcubierre set forth his mathematical formula for a real-life warp-drive spacecraft.

Opponents instantly made known the faults of Alcubierre's formula, chiefly the immense measures of energy necessary to control the spacecraft as well as purely hypothetical “exotic” matter essential to fabricate it. The mathematics were considered well-founded, which rocketed this concept of fantasy nearer to fact.


From the time of Alcubierre's formula, several engineers, inventors, and physicists have come forward with their own mathematical patterns and theories for theoretical warp drives, each individual configuration creeping nearer to actuality.

Many of these designs have been exhibited in The Debrief, along with a 2013 revisement of Alcubierre's prototype by Harold G “Sonny” White, a former NASA engineer and warp pathfinder that significantly downgraded the energy requisite from an absolutely incomprehensible sum to a little lower than unimaginable however unreachable by today's standards of engineering amount.


A short while ago, Dr. Eric Lentz, a Ph.D. physicist talked to The Debrief and provided his own perspective on warp drive, secondly, a duo of engineers centralized in Sweden brought forward blueprints for a warp-capable drive that needs no exotic matter. Thirdly, The Debrief talked to an engineer from Chicago who has petitioned for a patent on his uncommon strategy to creating a warp drive, and an educator who pictures cruising swifter than the speed of light utilizing a thing called fluidic space.

Scientists theorize that inter-stellar space seems to have a tiny “thickness” of atoms that are made up of hydrogen and different accumulations of atoms also referred to as “dust.” There are also plenty of “photons” not just from the matter you can see but more from cosmic microwave background, neutrinos as well as an indication of things we have not been able to identify. Astrophysicists frequently utilize “fluid mechanics” to characterize the current of substances through space from the gases located inside of stars to accretion disks and in other places. These neutrinos appear not to interfere with each other very often which makes the nature of fluid mechanics more complicated to describe.

In December of 2021, The Debrief said that Dr. White and his Eagleworks group unveiled what they declared to be the world's first real-world warp bubble whilst testing with extra tiny constructions recognized as Casimir cavities.


Wikipedia describes Casimir cavities as, within quantum field theory, the Casimir effect is a physical force acting on the macroscopic boundaries of a confined space that arises from the quantum fluctuations of the field. It is aptly named after the Dutch physicist Hendrik Casimir who predicted the effect of electromagnetic systems in 1948. The Casimir effect can be understood by the idea that the presence of macroscopic material interfaces such as conducting metals and dielectrics, alters the vacuum expectation value of the energy of the second-quantized electromagnetic field. Since the value of this energy depends on the shapes and positions of the materials, the Casimir effect manifests itself as a force between such objects. Any medium supporting oscillations have an analog of the Casimir effect.

Dr. White considers the achievability of warp drive spacecraft and their similar implements have reaped a generous volume of recognition from pundits through the years. One of them is astrophysicist Dr. Ethan Siegel who has observed that the warp drive idea “remains an interesting possibility and one worthy of continued scientific investigation, but one that you should remain tremendously skeptical about given the current state of affairs,” as reported by The Debrief.

The “faster than light light travel” theses are what many in the scientific community deem a “dark art,” but to the newcomers to this topic and to those unfamiliar with Star Trek – a “warp bubble” is a section of localized space/time that revolves around a faster-than-light spacecraft, permitting it to “break” the laws of physics yet not breaking the laws of physics. This critical advancement appeared to label a likely spectacular move from conjecture to performance, possibly presenting forthcoming engineers and innovators a blueprint to attempting to build a performing physical world warp drive.

Dr. Greg Hodgin is a political scientist and chemical engineer who has instituted his own enterprise, “ZC Incorporated” which has a centralized aim of constructing a warp-effective spacecraft inside his life period.

Dr. Hodgin spoke with The Debrief to address his towering ambitions and the developing blueprint he has set to accomplish them. Dr. Hodgin trusts that he has the correct people and a competent strategy to make warp drive spaceships an actual world reality, unlike the small number of theorists that came before him in this burgeoning subject field.

Dr. Hodgin said, “I want to be the first person to fly the Phoenix,” paying his respects to the ship in Star Trek Dr. Zefram Cochrane built that plowed through the warp boundary, As reported by The Debrief.


Even Dr. Hodgin's company “ZC Incorporated” is a reference to Zefram Cochrane.

Contrary to the many people who have had aspirations of “star-trekking” Dr. Hodgin has resolved to test his respectability and begin a business enterprise with the prime directive and drive to accomplish it.

Dr. Hodgin said, “I'd love our maiden flight of a full-sized warp craft to take place, oh, somewhere around April 5th, 2063...Although, I doubt we'll be able to do it from Bozeman, Montana.” The references were made to the fantastical dates of Dr. Cochrane's initial flight, as reported by The Debrief.

Dr. Hodgin openly acknowledges his lack of expertise on warp fields and the science backing it but said that he has devoted the past several years to studying warp field logistics, quantum physics, and the theory of general relativity.


“I know just enough to be dangerous,” Dr. Hodgin implied in jest, as quoted by The Debrief.

Dr. Hodgin started off by contacting Dr. Lentz and acquiring all of his knowledge on warp theories and what would be needed to construct them. He also touched base with fusion energy specialists utilizing a power repository Dr. Hodgin surmises can launch his first age of warp-driven spaceships.

Dr. Hodgin admitted, “We can't create enough anti-matter in the lab to realistically drive our warp engine, but we believe that fusion is close enough and powerful enough to do the job (at least) for our initial goals,” as reported by The Debrief.


Then Dr. Hodgin collaborated with Emmett Spurlock, a former Army colonel whose interest and proficiency is in procedures and logistics. Dr. Hodgin said that with Colonel Spurlock's involvement in managing multifaceted ventures harmonizes charmingly with the engineers and physicists to whose concepts he aspires to calculate and authenticate in the anticipation of locating the one that will function properly.

Dr. Hodgin said, “Because these theoretical physicists have been pioneers in doing the math, now we know it's possible...There's only like 40 people doing warp research in the world, and if I don't treat them well, they're going to go somewhere else,” as reported by The Debrief.


Dr. Hodgin also said, “A lot of people, when we talk about warp drive, and even when you look at the papers, you see yes, its theoretical, and yes, we've lowered the energy requirements...but to build this thing you're gonna need a ton of energy and a ton of power,” as quoted by The Debrief.

According to Dr. Hodgin this is where fusion energy is introduced.


Jason Cassibry is an associate professor at the University of Huntsville's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Dr. Cassibry had worked previously on Pulsed Fusion. His investigation has been supported financially by Limitless Space Institute – a research society that encompasses Dr. Sonny White as a chairperson of the board.

Dr. Cassibry said, “Broadly speaking, what Greg is trying to do is assemble a cadre of scientists to work out the challenges of warp bubbles for propulsion, power, and other industrial applications...Since the world is chasing abundant sources of energy, Greg conjectured that warp-enabled fusion could be an ultimate route to inexhaustible energy,” As reported by The Debrief.


To clarify, nuclear fusion yields a huge quantity of radiant energy and thermal energy nearly all of which goes missing and consumed for the reason that it does not change into functional energy. Through an aberration in spacetime in as much as a tiny warp bubble, the gravitational force will retain the radiation and heat, as similarly as the Sun operates.

Dr. Cassibry said, "We also know that we can create gravity-like fields to interact with matter in a variety of ways using current, voltage, frequency, and material properties. It has been speculated since the 1800's that both gravity and electromagnetism create, or are emergent properties, of spacetime curvature...the generation of curvature by electromagnetic fields in an efficient way has not been formalized in a general way that is accepted by the mainstream. We also have not generated a significant thrusting force or motion from pure fields yet. Greg sees the application of fusion as a strong motivator for paying for some of the critical research that needs to be done to figure these problems out,” as quoted by The Debrief.


Dr. Hodgin professes that fusion energy might remain years or decades aside but for the dreams of ZC Incorporated he is looking forward to it turning into actuality within the adjoining 5 years. Although Dr. Hodgin believes he can procure the base ideas of warp theory and implement them to fusion, exceedingly decreasing the energy provision necessitated to produce the opening fusion reaction.

Dr. Hodgin said, “The idea would be, with several warp fields, you can basically take a confined space and just crunch it to pieces.” He says this is the concept that had brought Dr. Cassibry and the concept that his coalition will need to overcome prior to their construction of the initial warp drive spaceship.

After his group hones fusion energy, therefore, allowing far-fetched ideas to overcome unimaginable measures, Dr. Hodgin believes his associates will then have the capability to construct the first-ever warp-competent spaceship.

Contrary to the size of the Enterprise or Zefram Cochrane's ship “The Phoenix,” ZC Inc's ship will be significantly smaller.


Dr. Hodgin said “We're actually looking to create a warp bubble within the next five years...and again, microscopic. We're talking nanometer, angstrom level. The whole point is to show we can actually distort space/time,” As reported by The Debrief.

Dr. Hodgin believes size is important due to the enormous sum of energy necessary to warp space/time.

Dr. Hodgin said, “By shrinking the warp ship from 100m (which is sufficient to transport a human crew) to the nano-scale, you can dramatically reduce the energy requirements,” as quoted by The Debrief.


Following a discussion with numerous engineers and warp field theoreticians, Dr. Hodgin postulates that his exceptionally small warp ship will highlight some additional substantial benefits that are better than past imaginative blueprints.

For instance, Dr. Hodgin's warp field will not be perpetual but pulsated off and on. This permits additional management and provides for continuous conversation among engineers and spacecraft.


Dr. Hodgin said, “One of the problems with Alcubieere is once you turn it on, you can't turn it off...ours mitigates that problem,” As reported by The Debrief.

Dr. Hodgin affirms that his earliest nano-scale spaceship (as well as his earliest macro-scale ship scheduled some 10 years of his company schedule) will utilize warp drive for a system of thrust but will not be tailored to go faster than the speed of light. He said this withdraws the necessity for exotic matter, permitting the engineers to function with supplies now accessible.

Dr. Hodgin said, “Creating the microscopic warp bubble allows us to get the power to perfect that technology, and then we can go bigger,” as quoted by The Debrief.

He also recognized that also a sub-light warp craft will be a tremendous benefit above already existing propulsion innovation.

Dr. Hodgin said, “At 33 C (which is measured as 1/3 the speed of light) we can get to orbit in 8 seconds...We can get to Mars in 8 minutes!” As reported by The Debrief.

As with a lot of activities of a conjectural substance, Dr. Hodgin believes ZC Inc will be obligated to acquire some initial financial backing before their assignment can get out of the programming phase and into the operation phase.

Dr. Hodgin said, “Our goal right now is to be chasing government grants.”


Dr. Cassibry and Hodgin have collaborated on grant forms associated with the National Science Foundation that might assist with moving their endeavors ahead. They are also talking to entrepreneurs that appear interested in fusion power.

Dr. Hodgin said, “You tell these guys you want to build a warp drive they look at you like you're crazy...but you tell them you are working on nuclear fusion, suddenly their eyes open up, and they start to see dollar signs,” As reported by The Debrief.

Dr. Hodgin came to the New Worlds Conference this October which produced some fascinating partnerships and inspired him.

Dr. Hodgin said, “We had several people come up and talk to us, including Space Force...that was fascinating. And not in a bad way. It seems that a lot of people think this is less crazy than it was a year or two ago. That's a very good place to be,” As quoted by The Debrief.


Dr. Hodgin accepts that his endeavor is far-fetched and expressed some uncertainty over how successful he and his team will be prior to getting to a laboratory to create his spacecraft but compares it to biotech or big pharma expenditures which are usually years down the road prior to the objective victory.

Dr. Hodgin said, “We don't know if it's going to work at all...it might be beyond our technological capacity. It might be,” As reported by The Debrief.

In addition, he comments that in the event that they are triumphant in building this spacecraft and powering it up there could be some unanticipated circumstances they may need to make arrangements for.

Dr. Hodgin said, “Let's make damn sure that when we turn this thing on, we don't open a hole to another dimension,” as quoted by The Debrief.

Dr. Hodgin also hasn't selected the main particular warp theory to track down. Alternatively, he is aspiring to commence what he refers to as a “wheel and spoke” prototype where several warp groups are laboring on every distinct concept at the same time to someone find the right one that makes it all work.

At the same time, David Burns an engineer with NASA has been passing his “free time” working on what he dubs “the helical engine” as it does not require fuel, he maintains that his motor prototype could theoretically speed up to 99 percent the speed of light.


The design which David had placed on the NASA Technical Reports Server said that the engine functions by manipulating the methods by which mass may change at relativistic speeds or those that are next to the speed of light within a void but it should be noted that a professional has not yet examined it.

While this may have rendered a great deal of interest; including banners that the laws of physics would be broken, that may be a ways off yet.

Burns has outlined a box with a weight on the interior, threaded on a line, and bouncers at both ends to spring the weight side to side to demonstrate his idea. The outcome would be for the whole case to wiggle within a void-like space and the weight looks to be braced throughout similar to a gif.

All around the crate would proceed to shake at the same locality but if the weight's mass intensified in one position, it would generate more force in that position.

That should not be possible because of the conservation of momentum principle that conveys that an object's motion stays perpetual in the lack of any external forces.

There is a flaw in special relativity. Special relativity posits that when a target motions nearer to the speed of light, it adds mass. So the basis in thought is that you can have ions transiting faster at one side of a loop than the opposite if you substitute the weight with ions in the crate with a closed loop.

The engine Burins is creating does not have a sealed loop. Its nomenclature “helical engine” pertains to a helical shape that looks like a stretched DNA helix.

The ions are confined in a closed circle and are sped up to modest relativistic acceleration by the drive. Their mass is then modified a bit by differing their motion. The drive then rhythmically conveys ions in the way of movement to create propulsion in the abstract.

The only objects in motion in the drive are the ions that are confined in the electric and magnetic fields and transiting along a vacuum line.

There are several obstacles that must be overcome. The first is that the helical room would need to be quite large, according to New Scientist. To this point, it would need to be 656 feet long and 40 feet in diameter.

To generate 1 newton of propulsion it would also need to generate 165 megawatts of electricity. To grant the force required to expedite 1 kilogram of mass per second squared is equal to a power plant. It is insufficient as there is too much input very small output.

Although in the vacuum of space, given the energy and time, the drive could transit at just about the speed of light.

Burns references the concern with effectiveness in his demonstration and notes that his concept hasn't been confirmed by the experts and there could be some math flaws. The exact blueprints for a fully functional spacecraft drive are not yet ready.

Wikipedia describes the EmDrive as an idea for a thruster for a spaceship that was initially discussed in 2001. It is implied to create thrust by reflecting microwaves inside the device in a method that would break the conservation of momentum and other laws of physics. This idea is also referred to as a resonant cavity thruster or the Impossible Drive. As of this time, there are no blueprints for this device, and neither person who has claimed to have invented it has promised to offer an explanation as to how it could function as a thruster or what components could describe it which makes it difficult to ascertain which object is an example of an EmDrive.


In 2016, Harold White's team at NASA observed a small apparent thrust from one such test, but the additional research suggested this was a measurement error caused by thermal gradients, then in 2021, Martin Tajmar's team at the Dresden University of Technology replicated White's test, observing apparent thrusts similar to those measured by the NASA team, then made them disappear again when measured utilizing point suspension.
 
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