– A former NASA engineer named Charles Buhler is the co-founder of a new space startup called Exodus Propulsion Technologies.
– The company claims to have discovered an entirely new type of propulsion technology that could power spacecraft thrusters without the need for propellant. They call it a “new force of nature”.
– Buhler presented initial findings at the Alternative Propulsion Energy Conference, which looks at unconventional propulsion ideas.
– The prototype thruster they have created so far produces only 10 milliNewtons of thrust, which is very small, but Buhler says it’s proof of the new physics involved.
– The thruster works via electrostatic effects using charge carrier coatings and a dielectric film. Buhler says it generates force through “an asymmetry in either electrostatic pressure or some kind of electrostatic divergent field”.
– If it can be scaled up, this propellantless propulsion could be a breakthrough for space travel. However, most scientists will likely view the claims with skepticism until more is known about how it works and how it squares with known physics.
– The story draws parallels to other controversial propulsion ideas like EM Drive and warp drive that also seem to contradict accepted theories. Buhler hopes to do demonstrations in space to prove the concept.
Source: futurism
