Twenty First Century Propulsion Concept
Abstract
This contract explored the Biefield-Brown effect which allegedly converts electrostatic energy directly into a propulsive force in a vacuum environment. The program emphasized the the experimental exploration of this electrostatic thrust-generation concept to confirm or deny its existence, to verify its operation under high vacuum conditions, and to establish an experimental database via tests with candidate devices to permit the nature and magnitude of its thrust to be determined. An improved laboratory test configuration was developed for quantifying electrostatically induced propulsive forces on selected devices. This configuration used a vacuum chamber and diffusion pump arrangement which extended conditions to the 1 microtorr range. While attempts were made to increase the driving DC voltage to 50 kV or more, the driving voltages were generally limited to about 19 kV to avoid electrical breakdown problems. Boundary effects arising from the presence of induced surface charges on the walls of the vacuum chamber surrounding the test devices were significant, and had to be taken into account in using the torsion pendulum system to make thrust force measurements. Direct experimental results indicate that no detectable propulsive force was electrostatically induced by applying a static potential difference up to 19 kV between the electrodes of test devices under conditions in which electrical breakdowns did not occur.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA237853
Entities
People
- Robert L. Talley