Advanced Propulsion Physics Laboratory

{{Short description|NASA cutting-edge research group, Johnson Space Center, TX, US}}

File:Nasa-eagleworks-laboratories-1-.jpg

The Advanced Propulsion Physics Laboratory or "Eagleworks Laboratories" at NASA's Johnson Space Center is a small research group investigating a variety of theories regarding new forms of spacecraft propulsion. The principal investigator is Dr. Harold G. White.{{cite web|title=Harold "Sonny" White - Eagleworks Laboratories: Advanced Propulsion|date=August 24, 2018|author=Yael Kovo|url=https://www.nasa.gov/ames/ocs/2014-summer-series/harold-white|publisher=NASA|access-date=April 8, 2023}}

The group is developing the White–Juday warp-field interferometer in the hope of observing small disturbances of spacetime and also testing small prototypes of thrusters that do not use reaction mass, with currently inconclusive results.{{cite news|title=Is Warp Speed Achievable?|author=Andrei Ene |date=May 16, 2020|url=https://techthelead.com/is-warp-speed-achievable/|website=techthelead.com|access-date=April 8, 2023}} The proposed principle of operation of these quantum vacuum plasma thrusters, such as the RF resonant cavity thruster ('EM Drive'),{{cite web|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/04/evaluating-nasas-futuristic-em-drive/|title=Evaluating NASA's Futuristic EM Drive|date=29 April 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20110023492|title=Eagleworks Laboratories: Advanced Propulsion Physics Research|date=5 December 2011 |publisher=NASA}} has been shown to be inconsistent with known laws of physics, including conservation of momentum and conservation of energy. No plausible theory of operation for such drives has been proposed.{{cite web|url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a22678/em-drive-cannae-cubesat-reactionless/|title=The Impossible Propulsion Drive Is Heading to Space|date=2 September 2016|website=popularmechanics.com|access-date=9 October 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sciencealert.com/the-impossible-em-drive-is-about-to-be-tested-in-space|title=The 'Impossible' EM Drive Is About to Be Tested in Space|last=Crew|first=Bec|website=sciencealert.com|date=6 September 2016 |access-date=9 October 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/11/nasa-impossible-emdrive-physics-peer-review-space-science/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122020601/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/11/nasa-impossible-emdrive-physics-peer-review-space-science/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 22, 2016|title=NASA Team Claims 'Impossible' Space Engine Works—Get the Facts|date=21 November 2016|website=National Geographic|access-date=9 October 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOWN0y55S88|title=How The 'Impossible Drive' Could Break Newton's Third Law|last=Seeker|date=19 November 2016|via=YouTube|access-date=9 October 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://bigthink.com/paul-ratner/em-drive-the-impossible-rocket-engine-may-be-closer-to-reality|title=EM Drive, the Impossible Rocket Engine, May Be Closer to Reality|last=Ratner|first=Paul|website=bigthink.com|date=2016-09-07}}{{cite web|url=https://phys.org/news/2016-12-mars-days-expert-discusses-nasa.html|title=To Mars in 70 days: Expert discusses NASA's study of paradoxical EM propulsion drive|last1=Poitras|first1=Colin|date=7 December 2016|website=Phys.org|access-date=1 May 2018}}

Purpose

The Advanced Propulsion Physics Laboratory is enabled by section 2.3.7 of the NASA Technology Roadmap TA 2: In Space Propulsion Technologies:{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/2015_nasa_technology_roadmaps_ta_2_in-space_propulsion_final.pdf|title=NASA Technology Roadmaps TA 2: In-Space Propulsion Technologies|date=July 2015|website=NASA}}

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|text=Breakthrough Propulsion: Breakthrough propulsion is an area of technology development that seeks to explore and develop a deeper understanding of the nature of space-time, gravitation, inertial frames, quantum vacuum, and other fundamental physical phenomena, with the overall objective of developing advanced propulsion applications and systems that will revolutionize how NASA explores space.

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The lab's purpose is to explore, investigate, and pursue advanced and theoretical propulsion technologies that are intended to allow human exploration of the Solar System in the next 50 years with the ultimate goal of interstellar travel by the turn of the century. The 30x40 ft floor of the lab facility floats on large pneumatic piers in order to isolate it from any seismic activity. The pneumatic piers were originally built for the Apollo program and used to perform work involving inertial measurement units (IMU) before being brought out of retirement.{{Citation|last=NASA's Ames Research Center|title=Dr. Harold "Sonny" White - Eagleworks Laboratories: Advanced Propulsion|date=2014-11-05|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wokn7crjBbA|access-date=2019-02-22}}

References

Category:NASA groups, organizations, and centers

Advanced Propulsion Physics Laboratory

Purpose

See also

References