Breakthrough Propulsion Physics
Breakthrough Propulsion Physics
Travel to the stars within a human lifetime is “impossible” (considering available technologies and the usual budgets) using propulsion technologies that were developed so far. We need a breakthough in physics to create a propulsion system that resembles the features of something like a “Warp Drive” from Star Trek. Therefore, we are trying to develop new concepts that can be tested, evaluate claims from others and try to identify new worthwhile experiments/theories that can help to reach that goal.
Examples of past and ongoing research activities:
Theory
Most important, we try to assess concepts and develop new ideas on how to build a space drive and/or how to modify mass/gravity.
Selected Publications:
Tajmar, M.,
"Weak-Equivalence Principle Violation and Mass Change of Charged Matter due to Vacuum Polarization",
Journal of Advanced Physics 5, 180-183 (2016) (link)
Tajmar, M. and Assis, A.K.T.,
"Influence of Rotation on the Weight of Gyroscopes as an Explanation for Flyby Anomalies",
Journal of Advanced Physics 5, 176-179 (2016) (link)
Tajmar, M. and Assis, A.K.T.,
"Gravitational Induction with Weber's Force",
Canadian Journal of Physics, 93(12), 1571-1573 (2015) (link)
Tajmar, M.,
"Derivation of the Planck and Fine-Structure Constant from Assis’s Gravity Model",
Journal of Advanced Physics 4, 219-221 (2015) (link)
Tajmar, M., and Assis, A.K.T.,
"Particles with Negative Mass: Production, Properties and Applications for Nuclear Fusion and Self-Acceleration",
Journal of Advanced Physics 4, 77-82 (2015) (link)
Tajmar, M.,
"Propellantless Propulsion with Negative Matter Generated by Electric Charges",
AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference, AIAA-2013-3913, (2013) (link)
Tajmar, M., "Derivation of the Planck Mass from Gravitational Polarization of the Quantum Vacuum",
Physics Essays 25(3), 466-469 (2012) (link)
Tajmar, M., and Bertolami, O.,
"Hypothetical Gravity Control and Possible Influence on Space Propulsion",
Journal of Propulsion and Power 21(4), 692-696 (2005) (link)
New Gravitational-Like Fields
Predicted by Einstein’s general relativity theory, any rotating mass is dragging space-time with it. Time-varying frame-dragging fields are predicted to generate non-Newtonian (artificial) gravitational fields. Unfortunately, frame-dragging is so weak that the effect from the rotation of the whole Earth can only be measured by satellites such as Gravity-Probe B or LAGEOS. Here we are investigating if frame-dragging can be enhanced and how this could be used for space applications.
A major activity was to test frame-dragging with laser gyroscope and accelerometers close to rotating matter at low cryogenic temperatures. In an early paper we predicted that a reported difference between the measured and theoretically predicted Cooper-pair mass in a niobium superconductor might lead to enhanced frame-dragging. Although initially promising results were obtained, progress over many years revealed that proper vibration and thermal isolation of the rotating mass lowered the signal strength on the gyroscopes below the noise level.
Selected Publications:
Lörincz, I. and Tajmar, M.,
"Design and First Measurements of a Superconducting Gravity-Impulse-Generator",
AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference, AIAA-2015-4080, Orlando, July 27-29 (2015) (link)
Tajmar, M.,
"Evaluation of Enhanced Frame-Dragging in the Vicinity of a Rotating Niobium Superconductor, Liquid Helium and a Helium Superfluid",
Superconductor Science and Technology 24, 125011 (2011) (link)
Tajmar, M.,
"Homopolar Artificial Gravity Generator based on Frame-Dragging",
Acta Astronautica 66(9-10), 1297-1301 (2010) (link)
Tajmar, M., Plesescu, F., and Seifert, B.,
"Anomalous Fiber Optic Gyroscope Signals Observed above Spinning Rings at Low Temperature",
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 150, 032101 (2009) (link)
Tajmar, M., and de Matos, C.J.,
"Extended Analysis of Gravitomagnetic Fields in Rotating Superconductors and Superfluids",
Physica C 420(1-2), 56-60 (2005) (link)
Tajmar, M., and de Matos, C.J.,
"Induction and Amplification of Non-Newtonian Gravitational Fields",
AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference, AIAA 2001-3911, (2001) (link)
Mass Modification
The gravitational force law has been tested at various field strengths, distances and with a variety of different source masses. By exploring the boundaries of present experiments, we tried to
- Test weight as a function of temperature by going from room temperature down to even cryogenic temperatures (including superconducting samples) – no effect within our resolution.
- Test the weight of gyroscopes in different configurations (previous claims reported anomalies, others tested and found no effect – we could trace it down to an effect of vibration and torque on the balance arm)
Selected Publications:
Lörincz, I., and Tajmar, M.,
"Identification of Error Sources in High Precision Weight Measurements of Gyroscopes",
Measurement 73, 453-461 (2015) (link)
Tajmar, M., Plesescu, F., and Seifert, B.,
"Measuring the Dependence of Weight on Temperature in the Low Temperature Regime using a Magnetic Suspension Balance",
Measurement Science and Technology 21, 015111 (2010) (link)
Tajmar, M., Hense, K., Marhold, K., and de Matos, C.J.,
"Weight Measurements of High-Temperature Superconductors during Phase Transition in Stationary, Non-Stationary Condition and under ELF Radiation",
edited by El-Genk, M.S., "Proceedings of the Space Technology and Applications International Forum (STAIF-2005)", AIP Conference Proceedings 746, Issue 1, American Institute of Physics, New York, 1290-1297 (2005) (link)
Testing of other Claims/Anomalies
Selected Publications:
Neunzig, O., Weikert, M. and Tajmar, M., "Thrust Measurements of Microwave-, Superconducting- and Laser-Type EMDrives", 71st International Astronautical Congress (IAC), IAC-21,C4,10-C3.5,1,x63502, October 25-29 (2021) (link)
Tajmar, M. and Weikert, M., "Evaluation of the Influence of a Field-Less Electrostatic Potential on Electron Beam Deflection as Predicted by Weber Electrodynamics", Progress in Electromagnetics Research M, 105, 1-8 (2021) (link)
Neunzig, O., Weikert, M. and Tajmar, M., "Thrust Measurements and Evaluation of Asymmetric Infrared Laser Resonators for Space Propulsion", Proceedings of the Space Propulsion 2020+1 Conference, SP2020_104, March 17-19 (2021) (link)
Tajmar, M., Neunzig, O and Weikert, M., "High-Accuracy Thrust Measurements of the EMDrive and Elimination of False-Positive Effects", Proceedings of the Space Propulsion 2020+1 Conference, SP2020_268, March 17-19 (2021) (link)
Monette, M., Kößling, M., Neunzig, O. and Tajmar, M., "The SpaceDrive Project – Mach-Effect Thruster Experiments on High-Precision Balances in Vacuum", Proceedings of the Space Propulsion 2020+1 Conference, SP2020_278, March 17-19 (2021) (link)
Tajmar, M. and Williams, L.L., "An Experimental Test of the Classical Interpretation of the Kaluza Fifth Dimension", Physics, 2(4), 587-595 (2020) (link)
Tajmar, M. and Schreiber, T., "Put Strong Limits on all Proposed Theories so far Assessing Electrostatic Propulsion: Does a Charged High-Voltage Capacitor Produce Thrust?", Journal of Electrostatics, 107, 103477 (2020) (link)
Kößling, M., Weikert, M. and Tajmar, M., "Experimental Evaluation of the VEM Drive", Qucosa Preprint: urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa2-707098, https://doi.org/10.25368/2020.4, 2020
Monette, M., Kößling, M. and Tajmar, M., "The SpaceDrive Project - Progress in the Investigation of the Mach-Effect-Thruster Experiment", 36st International Electric Propulsion Conference (IEPC), IEPC-2019-712, Vienna, September 15-20 (2019) (link)
Neunzig, O. Kößling, M., Weikert, M. and Tajmar, M., "Characterization of a Rotational Thrust Balance for Propellantless Propulsion Concepts Utilizing Magnetic Levitation with Superconductors", 36st International Electric Propulsion Conference (IEPC), IEPC-2019-290, Vienna, September 15-20 (2019) (link)
Weikert, M. and Tajmar, M., "Investigation of the Influence of a Field-Free Electrostatic Potential on the Electron Mass with Barkhausen-Kurz Oscillation", arXiv:1902.05419 [physics.gen-ph], 2019 (link)
Neunzig, O. and Tajmar, M., "SpaceDrive – Development of a Superconducting Levitation Thrust Balance for Propellantless Propulsion", 69th International Astronautical Congress, IAC-18,E2,2,11,x48639, Bremen, 1-5 Oct. (2018) (link)
Kößling, M., Monette, M., Weikert, M. and Tajmar, M., "The SpaceDrive Project - Thrust Balance Development and New Measurements of the Mach-Effect and EMDrive Thrusters", 69th International Astronautical Congress, IAC-18,C4,7-C3.5,5,x46021, Bremen, 1-5 Oct. (2018) (link)
Tajmar, M., Kössling, M., Weikert, M. and Monette, M., "The SpaceDrive Project – First Results on EMDrive and Mach-Effect Thrusters", Proceedings of the Space Propulsion Conference, Paper SP2018_016, Sevilla, May 14-18 (2018) (link)
Lörincz, I. and Tajmar, M., "Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Spatially Distributed Charges on the Inertial Mass of Moving Electrons as Predicted by Weber’s Electrodynamics", Canadian Journal of Physics 95(10), 1023-1029 (2017) (link)
Tajmar, M. and Fiedler, G.,
"Direct Thrust Measurements of an EMDrive and Evaluation of Possible Side-Effects",
AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference, AIAA-2015-4083, Orlando, July 27-29 (2015) (link)
Boy, C., Lörincz, I., and Tajmar, M.,
"Replication and Experimental Characterization of the Wallace Dynamic Force Field Generator",
AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference, AIAA-2015-4081, Orlando, July 27-29 (2015) (link)
Bojiloff, D., and Tajmar, M.,
"Experimental Evaluation of the Claimed Coulomb Rotation (Electrostatic Torque)",
Journal of Electrostatics 76, 268-273 (2015) (link)
Buldrini, N., Seifert, B., Marhold, K., and Tajmar, M.,
"Experimental Study of the Machian Mass Fluctuation Effect Using a µN Thrust Balance",
edited by El-Genk, M.S., "Proceedings of the Space Technology and Applications International Forum (STAIF-2006)", AIP Conference Proceedings 813, Issue 1, American Institute of Physics, New York, 1313-1320 (2006)
Hense, K., Tajmar, M., and Marhold, K.,
"Electrostatic Torque – A Misinterpretation",
Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General 37, 8747-8749 (2004)
Tajmar, M.,
"The Biefeld-Brown Effect: Missinterpretation of Corona Wind Phenomena",
AIAA Journal 42(2), 315-318 (2004) (link)
Tajmar, M., and de Matos, C.J.,
"Water-Arc Explosions as a Concept for Advanced Propulsion Thrusters",
AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference, AIAA 2000-3762, (2000)