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A Warp Drive is a fictional faster-than-light (FTL) propulsion system. It would manipulate space-time itself to move an interstellar spacecraft (starship), taking advantage of a loophole in the laws of physics that prevent anything from moving faster than light. Researchers calculated that creating such a device would require monstrous amounts of energy (fuel and thrust). But now physicists are saying by doing some adjustment to the proposed warp drive, the machine may run on significantly less energy. NASA has already jumped into work to create a wrap drive.

In 1994, a Mexican theoretical physicist Miguel Alcubierre proposed a real-life warp drive. After looking his concept, it was found through calculation that if such a device would have to be made, then it would require a very big (you can also say prohibitive) amount of energy. With the concurrent propulsion technologies, creating an interstellar flight with warp drive was impossible. But Dr. White and other physicists found that warping the space-time is possible if loopholes in some mathematical equations can be solved. Hence, he and his team is trying to find proof of those loopholes. They have “initiated an interferometer test bed that will try to generate and detect a microscopic instance of a little warp bubble” using White-Juday Warp Field Interferometer.

By creating warp bubbles, the spaceship’s engine will compress the space ahead and expand the space behind. Therefore it can move to another place, although in real it wouldn’t be moving. Dr. White mentioned that “by harnessing the physics of cosmic inflation, future spaceships crafted to satisfy the laws of these mathematical equations may actually be able to get somewhere unthinkably fast—and without adverse effects.” He believes that if their every expectation comes out from these practical experiments, then they would be able to create an engine that will get them to the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus, Alpha Centauri “in two weeks as measured by clocks here on Earth.” No doubt, the time will remain same in the spaceship and on Earth when this will happen.

Overcoming the energy problem will be possible if scientists optimize the thickness of the warp bubble and “oscillate its intensity to reduce the stiffness of space time”. If scientists can do so, then they would be able to reduce the amount of fuel consumption to a manageable amount. It might be possible for the spacecraft to achieve an effective speed of about 10 times the speed of light, all without breaking the cosmic speed limit.

With 10 times the speed of light, it is possible to visit Earth alike planet Gliese 581g in two years, which is 20 light years away from Earth our planet.

It’s time to see will the combination of science (physics) and technology be able to make this impossible into possible and take us to a new history? Share your thought with us and others.

Source : Icarus Interstellar
Thanks To : Gizmodo, CBS News

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