A research team from Limitless Space Institute (LSI) funded by Defence Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) accidentally created a warp bubble the size of 1μm (0.000000001m) in diameter while conducting experiments on the Casimir Effect.
Picture of the warp bubble
In Quantum Field Theory - the Casimir effect is a physical force acting in a vacuum. These vacuums of quantum space may hold the key to the future of energy creation and storage. The team at LSI said that the created sphere fulfils the equations for an Alcubierre bubble which is a speculative form of warp drive that could allow a spaceship to move faster than light (FTL) by contracting (or squeezing) the space in front of it and expanding it behind it. This is what many science fiction faster than light engines are based on including Star Trek's warp drive.
Dr Harold White, lead researcher on the project, said to the Debrief publication, “To be clear, our finding is not a warp bubble analog, it is a real, albeit humble and tiny, warp bubble”.
This research also seems to suggest that the initial gauge for energy requirements were higher than the truth, meaning a warp bubble may take less power than initially predicted. Dr White also stresses that there will be a lot more science needed before a warp capable ship will be made by Humans but this is definitely a step in the right direction.
The second advancement is the testing of a new prototype engine - The Synergetic Air Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE) by Reaction Engines. If all goes to plan the SABRE will reach mach 5 for hypersonic flight and mach 25 for space access.
The engine works by cooling the hot compressed air from 1000C down to the ambient temperature with the excess heat going in to the main engine allowing the engine to run faster and using less fuel. Then when switching to rocket mode it closes off the air intake but uses the same nozzle saving space in the engine.
These capabilities and the current scalable design it theoretically could be added to any aircraft design which if correctly made could also be a spacecraft capable of reaching orbit. Any craft deemed safe to use this engine all the way up to space would almost certainly be the first generation of shuttle craft, hopefully leading to shuttles like those we see in Star Trek.
What do you think about these incredible recent developments in propulsion technology? Is first contact closer than we think - let us know below!
WRITTEN BY RavenSplat
EDITED BY Solace
IMAGES SOURCED FROM SOURCE 1 - SOURCE 2
