Matter-antimatter engines...

[Gary Phaserman 0]

I was reading an article online today about Antimatter engines. it appears Gene Roddenberry had the wrong idea. Matter/Antimatter engines are a good idea, but not as a source of power for Warp drive, but more likely, for high speed impulse drive.

 

as we all know, when Matter and Antimatter come in contact with one another, they make a fairly good explosion giving off alot of energy---hence why Matter and Antimatter are used in Photon Torpedoes. using a magnetically charged engine bell, a Matter-Antimatter explosion could be used as a form of pulse-jet type propulsion. the reaction would--theoretically--provide more power than a chemical or nuclear rocket engine, at a greater fuel economy, since all of the propellant is used in the combustion--no excess left over, like in a rocket or a jet. Scientists have found ways to convert Protons into antiprotons, the only problem comes in keeping them stable enough for long trips for use as fuel. One possible solution to this problem is to carry Deuterium, a Hydrogen isotope, aboard and convert some into Antimatter for use when needed. Adding in all the wieght of the engine, the converters, and the fuel, you still end up with less mass carried than with a chemical rocket or a nuclear rocket, AND, there is a lesser risk of radiation poisoning from the engine. below is a design for an Antimatter rocket.

[trekzone 0]

so why is it improbable for warp......is the explosion not powerful enough?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

One problem with this diagram is you would have to account for the effects of gravity. Whatever is in the top chamber would feed into the intermix chamber faster since whatever is in the bottom chamber is working against gravity.

 

In gravityless space this isn't a problem, but the ship better not have plans to orbit anything or the ship could blow up because of matter/anti-matter imbalence in the intermix chamber.

 

Or I could be making this technobable up as I go along. :)

Edited September 23, 2004 by lt_van_roy

[Jim Phaserman 0]

so why is it improbable for warp......is the explosion not powerful enough?

265761[/snapback]

the design of a warp core makes it improbable, I think. Of course, I didn't read the articles yet, though he did send me the URL.

 

One problem with this diagram is you would have to account for the effects of gravity.  Whatever is in the top chamber would feed into the intermix chamber faster since whatever is in the bottom chamber is working against gravity.

 

In gravityless space this isn't a problem, but the ship better not have plans to orbit anything or the ship could blow up because of matter/anti-matter imbalence in the intermix chamber.

 

Or I could be making this technobable up as I go along.  :)

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Van, how do you know it's not a top view?

[Airies 0]

I would say that a computer scientist from 30 years ago would tell you it was highly improbable that we would have computers the size of our palms that could calculate more and faster than anything they had just 30 years ago. But we do.

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

Well... right now, the highest energy yielding reaction is antimatter/matter reaction. If that doesn't work, what will? We can't collide galaxies!!!

[Cramase 0]

Couldn't you just add flow regulators to the chambers to ensure that the intermix ratio is maintained? Also, you could arrange the chambers side by side so that gravity has no more effect on one than the other.

 

Well... right now, the highest energy yielding reaction is antimatter/matter reaction

Well, like you say, it's only the highest energy yielding reaction right now. Who knows what we may invent and/or discover in the next 10/20/50/100 years etc

[Christiantrekfan 0]

I don't think we'll be here 100 years from now-maybe not even 50. There's a pretty good chance Jesus will come back before then.

 

As for the matter/antimatter engine thing-I couldn't care less. I never thought it would be possible aanyway. Don't get me wrong, now. I'm not close-minded, I'm a Christian, and my belief is that God isn't going to let us get as far as traveling between solar systems and such.

 

But, then again, He could...

[Capt.Vash 0]

First off, Why The (I'm trying to say a bad word but can't) Would God Intervene With Exploration?

 

secondly I am glad that Anti-Matter propulsion is becoming reality, It makes me proud to be a human in this day and age!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

Van, how do you know it's not a top view?

 

Because that would mean I am hovering above it looking down, and... WAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! *Krunch*

[Wishfire 2]

As for anti-matter, in Star Trek there are anit-matter containment fields, which prevent anything disasterous from happening. Also, there's the fact that the energy produced by an anti-matter/matter interaction is focused through dilithium crystals which magnify the effects, producing a greater power than originally occured. Addictionally, the warp field focuses the power in more efficient ways.

 

Also, I read about three or four years ago about NASA trying to build an ion-driven propulsion unit. Supposedly, it could get a space-craft from the Earth to Pluto in about 9 weeks. Any news on that? Maybe I should create a new thread on that.

[Jim Phaserman 0]

they've produced Ion engine probes, but as I understand it, while an Ion Engine is very efficient, it is not very powerful. there is little prospect for an Ion Driven manned craft, though I suppose you could rig a small probe with an ion engine and get it to pluto pretty fast.

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

the problem with ion engines is that one particle couls slow it down so much. The ion engine is based on the principle of the speed of propulsion of the ion (charged particle). However, if particles oppose each other, they cancel out. The speed depends on the particle density of space.