Recently, astrophysicists at NASA wrote a paper on the testing of an electromagnetic propulsion system, an "EM drive", that generates a small amount of thrust by bouncing microwaves around a cone-shaped copper chamber. No object or substance is needed to fuel this, no exhaust comes out, yet the engine can make objects move. This development has contradicted Newton's third law of motion, being that it goes against what Newton concluded.
Newton's third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This principle explains how jet engines work; as hot gasses are expelled out the back of the plane, they produce a thrusting force that moves the plane forward. The Em drive differs in a sense that its trust seems to come from the impact of photons on the walls of the copper cavity. The bouncing of microwaves in the copper chamber propel the object forward to the propulsion qualities that the cone shape has.
According to the Eagleworks scientists at NASA, their machine generated 1.2 millinewtons of thrust per kilowatt of electricity pumped into the engine. Although that is a fraction of the thrust produced by the lightweight ion drives that are used in many of NASA's spacecrafts, it is a lot more than the few micronewtons per kilowatt produced by light sails (another force of thrust used).
The basis of this process was founded by a British engineer named Roger Shawyer. He claimed that microwaves inside the cavity create an imbalance of radiation that pushes against the walls and generates thrust. There is no theoretical explanation for how this type of engine works, and not all sources of experimental error have been removed.
This contradicts Newtons third law of motion because there is a reaction, yet no initial action causing the engine to have thrust. As the Washington Post writes, "Its thrust seems to come from the impact of photons on the walls of the copper cavity. That would be like moving a car forward by just banging against the windshield." As banging the windshield would only cause slight damage to the car, it would simply not move it forward. Yet the EM drive takes the same idea, however the effects are much different, where radiation coming from the cone shaped copper has an outward force.
This EM drive would eventually allow NASA to thrust spacecrafts over a distance without expelling any gasses. There isn't a need for gas or fuel as other rockets work, therefore the rocket holding the EM drive could allow NASA to reach new feats and stay in space longer.
Video on the EM Drive and Newtons third law of motion
Baylor Wallace
November 22, 2016
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