Quantum vacuum thruster

magnetohydrodynamics.[2]
The Q-thruster might not technically be a reactionless
drive, because it expels the plasma and thus produces
force on the spacecraft in the opposite direction, like a
conventional rocket engine. However, a spacecraft using
one need not carry any propellant. As with other plasma
engines, high specic impulses would be available for Qthrusters. Preliminary analyses suggest thrust levels of
between 10004000 N, a specic force performance of
0.1 N/kW, and an equivalent specic impulse of ~1x1012
s.[3][4]
A diagram illustrating the theory of Q thruster operation

2.1 Controversy and criticism

A quantum vacuum plasma thruster (or Q-thruster)

is a proposed type of spacecraft thruster that would work
in part by acting on the virtual particles produced by
quantum vacuum uctuations. This was proposed as a
possible model for an engine that could produce thrust
without carrying its own propellant. Some physicists
working with microwave resonant cavity thrusters think
that they might be the rst examples of such an engine.

A number of notable physicists have found the Q-thruster

concept to be implausible. For example, mathematical
physicist John Baez has criticized the reference to quantum vacuum virtual plasma noting that: Theres no such
thing as 'virtual plasma' ".[5] Noted Caltech theoretical
physicist Sean M. Carroll has also armed this statement, writing "[t]here is no such thing as a quantum vacuum virtual plasma,....[6] In addition, Laeur found that
quantum eld theory predicts no net force, implying that
the measured thrusts are unlikely to be due to quantum
1 History and controversy
eects. However, Laeur noted that this conclusion was
The name and concept is controversial. In 2008, Yu Zhu based on the assumption that the electric and magnetic
posit
and others at Chinas Northwestern Polytechnical Univer- elds were homogeneous, whereas certain theories
[7]
a
small
net
force
in
inhomogeneous
vacuums.
sity claimed to measure thrust from such a thruster, but
called it a microwave thruster without propellant working on quantum principles.[1] In 2011 it was mentioned as
something to be studied by Harold G. White and his team 2.2 Other hypothesized quantum vacuum
thrusters
at NASA's Eagleworks Laboratories,[2] who were working with a prototype of such a thruster. Other physicists,
such as Sean M. Carroll and John Baez, dismissed it be- A number of physicists have suggested that a spacecraft or
cause the quantum vacuum as currently understood is not object may generate thrust through its interaction with the
a plasma and does not possess plasma-like characteristics. quantum vacuum. For example, Fabrizio Pinto in a 2006
paper published in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society noted it may be possible to bring a cluster
of polarisable vacuum particles to a hover in the labora2 Theory of operation
tory and then to transfer thrust to a macroscopic accelerating vehicle.[8] Similarly, Jordan Maclay in a 2004 paper
A Q-thruster would use the virtual particles from titled A Gedanken Spacecraft that Operates Using the
quantum uctuations of vacuum as propellant. The Quantum Vacuum (Dynamic Casimir Eect)" published
existence of quantum vacuum uctuations is not dis- in the scientic journal Foundations of Physics noted that
puted, because experiments with the quantum mechan- it is possible to accelerate a spacecraft based on the dyical Casimir eect have demonstrated that they exist. namic Casimir eect, in which electromagnetic radiation
What remains to be proven is that these uctuations can is emitted when an uncharged mirror is properly accelbe stimulated and used for this purpose, or that they erated in vacuum.[9] Similarly, Putho noted in a 2010
have properties that would allow them to be modeled by paper titled Engineering the Zero-Point Field and Po1

larizable Vacuum For Interstellar Flight published in the

Journal of the British Interplanetary Society noted that it
may be possible that the quantum vacuum might be manipulated so as to provide energy/thrust for future space
vehicles.[10] Likewise, researcher Yoshinari Minami in
a 2008 paper titled Preliminary Theoretical Considerations for Getting Thrust via Squeezed Vacuum published
in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society noted
the theoretical possibility of extracting thrust from the excited vacuum induced by controlling squeezed light.[11]
In addition, Alexander Feigel in a 2009 paper noted that
propulsion in quantum vacuum may be achieved by rotating or aggregating magneto-electric nano-particles in
strong perpendicular electrical and magnetic elds.[12]
Likewise, Luigi Maxmilian Caligiuri in a 2014 paper
published in the journal Astrophysics and Space Science
noted the possibility of a space propulsion system using
the interaction between the zero-point eld of the quantum vacuum and the high-potential electric eld generated in an asymmetrical capacitor, showing the resulting force would be driven by quantum vacuum energy
density.[13]

EXPERIMENTS WITH CAVITY RESONATORS

Using a torsion pendulum, Whites team claimed to have

measured 3050 N of thrust from a microwave cavity resonator designed by Guido Fetta in an attempt at
propellant-less propulsion. Using the same measurement
equipment, a non-zero force was also measured on a
null resonator that was not designed to experience any
such force, which they suggest hints at interaction with
the quantum vacuum virtual plasma.[21] All measurements were performed at atmospheric pressure, presumably in contact with air, and with no analysis of systematic errors, except for the use of an RF load without the
resonant cavity interior as a control device.[22] In early
2015, Paul March from that team made new results public, claiming positive experimental force measurements
with a torsional pendulum in a hard vacuum: about 50
N with 50 W of input power at 5.0106 torr, and new
null-thrust tests.[23] The claims of the team have not yet
been published in a peer reviewed journal, only as a conference paper in 2013.[24]

Yu Zhu previously claimed to have measured anomalous

thrust arising from a similar device, using power levels
roughly 100 times greater, and measuring thrust roughly
However, according to Putho,[10] although this method 1000 times greater.[1]
can produce angular momentum causing a static disk
(known as a Feynman disk) to begin to rotate,[14] it
cannot induce linear momentum due to a phenomenon 3.1 Current experiments
known as hidden momentum that cancels the ability
of the proposed EB propulsion method to generate linear momentum.[15] However, some recent experimental
and theoretical work by van Tiggelen and colleagues suggests that linear momentum may be transferred from the
quantum vacuum in the presence of an external magnetic
eld.[16]

Experiments with cavity resonators

In 2013, the Eagleworks team tested a device called

the Serrano Field Eect Thruster, built by Gravitec Inc.
at the request of Boeing and DARPA. The Eagleworks
team has theorized that this device is a Q-thruster.[17]
The thruster consists of a set of circular dielectrics sandwiched between electrodes; its inventor describes it device as producing thrust through a preselected shaping of
an electric eld.[18] Gravitec Inc. alleges that in 2011 they
tested the asymmetrical capacitor device in a high vacuum several times and have ruled out ion wind or electrostatic forces as an explanation for the thrust produced.[19]
In February through June 2013, the Eagleworks team
evaluated the SFE test article in and out of a Faraday
Shield and at various vacuum conditions.[17] Thrust was
observed in the ~120 N/kW range. The magnitude of
the thrust scaled approximately with the cube of the input voltage (20110 N).[20] As of 2015, the researchers
have not published a peer reviewed paper detailing the
results of this experiment.

Photograph of the 2006 Woodward eect test article.

Plot diagram of the 2006 Woodward eect test results.

As of 2015, Eagleworks is attempting to gather performance data to support development of a Q-thruster engineering prototype for reaction-control-system applications in the force range of 0.11 N with a corresponding input electrical power range of 0.33 kW. The group
plans to begin by testing a refurbished test article to improve the historical performance of a 2006 experiment
that attempted to demonstrate the Woodward eect. The
photograph shows the test article and the plot diagram

3
shows the thrust trace from a 500g load cell in experiments performed in 2006.[25]

[9] MacLay, G. Jordan; Forward, Robert L. (200403-01).

A Gedanken Spacecraft that Operates
Using the Quantum Vacuum (Dynamic Casimir
Eect)".
Foundations of Physics 34 (3): 477.
arXiv:physics/0303108. Bibcode:2004FoPh...34..477M.
doi:10.1023/B:FOOP.0000019624.51662.50.

The group hopes that testing the device on a high-delity

torsion pendulum (14 N at 1040 W) will unambiguously demonstrate the feasibility of this concept. The
team is maintaining a dialogue with the ISS national labs
oce for an on-orbit detailed test objective (DTO) to test [10] Putho, H. E.; Little, S. R. (2010-12-23). Engineering the Zero-Point Field and Polarizable Vacuum For
the Q-thrusters operation in the vacuum and weightlessInterstellar Flight. J.Br.Interplanet.Soc 55: 137144.
ness of outer space.[2]
arXiv:1012.5264. Bibcode:2010arXiv1012.5264P.

See also
Reactionless drive
RF resonant cavity thruster (EmDrive, Cannae
drive)
WhiteJuday warp-eld interferometer A device
used to test such drives
Dean drive
Casimir eect
Unruh eect
Photon rocket

References

[1] The Performance Analysis of Microwave Thrust without

Propellant Based on the Quantum Theory.

[11] Preliminary Theorectical Considerations for Getting

Thrust via Squeezed Vacuum. JBIS. Retrieved 2014-0804.
[12] Feigel, Alexander (2009-12-05). A magneto-electric
quantum wheel. arXiv:0912.1031 [quant-ph].
[13] Quantum vacuum energy, gravity manipulation and the
force generated by the interaction between high-potential
electric elds and zero-point-eld 2014 (PDF).
[14] Observation of static electromagnetic angular momentum in vacua. Nature Publishing Group. Retrieved
2014-08-09.
[15] Hnizdo, V. (1997). Hidden momentum of a relativistic
uid carrying current in an external electric eld.
American Journal of Physics (AIP Publishing) 65: 92.
Bibcode:1997AmJPh..65...92H. doi:10.1119/1.18500.
Retrieved 2014-08-09.
[16] Donaire, Manuel; Van Tiggelen, Bart; Rikken, Geert
(2014). Transfer of linear momentum from the quantum vacuum to a magnetochiral molecule 1404. p. 5990.
arXiv:1404.5990v1. Bibcode:2014arXiv1404.5990D.
[17] Warp Field Physics (2013)" (PDF).

[2] Eagleworks Laboratories: Advanced Propulsion Physics

Research (PDF). NASA. 2 December 2011. Retrieved
10 January 2013.
[3] White, H.; March, P. (2012). Advanced Propulsion
Physics: Harnessing the Quantum Vacuum (PDF). Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space. Retrieved 29
January 2013.
[4] Propulsion on an Interstellar Scale the Quantum Vacuum Plasma Thruster. engineering.com. 11 December
2012. Retrieved 29 January 2013.

[18] Propulsion device and method employing electric elds

for producing thrust.
[19] Gravitec Inc. Website.
[20] Eagleworks Newsletter 2013 (PDF).
[21] Anomalous Thrust Production from an RF Test Device
Measured on a Low-Thrust Torsion Pendulum (PDF).
[22] http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.2014-4029

[5] https://plus.google.com/117663015413546257905/
posts/WfFtJ8bYVya

[23] Wang, Brian (6 February 2015). Update on EMDrive

work at NASA Eagleworks. NextBigFuture.

[6] http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/outthere/2014/
08/06/nasa-validate-imposible-space-drive-word/#.
VCYphStdU3c

[24] Anomalous Thrust Production from an RF Test Device

Measured on a Low-Thrust Torsion Pendulum (PDF).

[7] Laeur, Trevor (2014-11-19). Can the quantum vacuum be used as a reaction medium to generate thrust?".
arXiv:1411.5359 [quant-ph].
[8] Progress in Quantum Vacuum Engineering Propulsion.
JBIS. Retrieved 2014-08-04.

[25] March, P.; Palfreyman, A. (2006). M. S. El-Genk, ed.

The Woodward Eect: Math Modeling and Continued
Experimental Verications at 2 to 4 MHz. Proceedings of Space Technology and Applications International
Forum (STAIF) (American Institute of Physics, Melville,
New York) 813: 1321. Bibcode:2006AIPC..813.1321M.
doi:10.1063/1.2169317. Retrieved 29 January 2013.

External links
Satellite Propulsion Research Ltd. (SPR)
Study of vacuum energy physics for breakthrough
propulsion

EXTERNAL LINKS

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1

Text

Quantum vacuum thruster Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_vacuum_thruster?oldid=692836488 Contributors: The

Anome, Anders Feder, William M. Connolley, Lowellian, Sj, I9Q79oL78KiL0QTFHgyc, Bemasc, Yahya Abdal-Aziz, Metallurgist,
JorisvS, Dl2000, Clarityend, Ian Goddard, Headbomb, E petersen, Will the Great, Trilobitealive, Shiggity, Red Act, Mcclarke, Yobot,
Aldebaran66, Evans1982, AnomieBOT, Citation bot, Isj, AManWithNoPlan, Bibcode Bot, BG19bot, Notmerlin, Skyhisi, ChrisGualtieri,
Mogism, Andyhowlett, Copulative, SJ Defender, Frinthruit, Teh SB, Pomezi, Ds scalar, Indratulku, UnitTwo and Anonymous: 43

7.2

Images

File:Ambox_important.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work, based o of Image:Ambox scales.svg Original artist: Dsmurat (talk contribs)
File:Portal-puzzle.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fd/Portal-puzzle.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ?
Original artist: ?
File:Q_Thruster_Theory.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Q_Thruster_Theory.png License: Public domain Contributors: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110023492_2011024705.pdf Original artist: Dr. Harold
Sonny White, Paul March, Nehemiah Williams, William ONeill
File:Split-arrows.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Split-arrows.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Unbalanced_scales.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Unbalanced_scales.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Woodward_Effect_Device.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Woodward_Effect_Device.png
License: Public domain Contributors: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110023492_2011024705.pdf Original artist:
Dr. Harold Sonny White, Paul March, Nehemiah Williams, William ONeill
File:Woodward_Effect_Results.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Woodward_Effect_Results.png
License: Public domain Contributors: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110023492_2011024705.pdf Original artist:
Dr. Harold Sonny White, Paul March, Nehemiah Williams, William ONeill

7.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0