[TML] Thrust Distribution Field

[Richard Aiken]

On 8/3/07, Timothy Little <tim at little-possums.net> wrote:
>
> Such a drive would thus be expected to produce a blue glow for a short
> distance behind the thrusters, and no detectable exhaust at longer
> range.  The fun thing is that despite being an effectively
> "reactionless" drive, it actually conserves energy and momentum :)


So . . . a reactionless drive ship can use its engines while "running
silent."  Assuming we use my idea of gravity-lenses to focus and re-direct
emitted heat, it can also beam it's inevitable IR signature with laser-like
focus in the direction least likely to be toward a detector.  Thus,
we actually have a "stealth" starship.  As long as we allow gravity- and
tachyon-manipulation tech.  :-)

The bit where it falls down from a real-life physics point of view is
> the niggling detail of minor violation of local causality from certain
> points of view.  Well, and maybe the problem that nobody has ever
> detected a tachyon.


Details, details . . . :-)

-- 
Richard Aiken

"Never insult anyone by accident."  Robert A. Heinlein
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