Breakthrough Propulsion II: A Mass Change Experiment

H. Fearn et al. (2016), JBIS, 69, pp.331-339

Refcode: 2016.69.331
Keywords: Vacuum energy density, Vacuum plasma, Densification of vacuum, EM-drive

Abstract:
Thrusters that allegedly work by pushing off the zero point vacuum electron-positron (e-p) pairs, currently produce thrusts in the range of 2 to 50 N. If momentum conservation is to be observed, an equal and opposite thrust must be exerted, on the hypothetical, e-p pairs. For the effective lifetime of the electrons and positrons they must be `real’ in a sense of having a nonvanishing rest mass. This paper considers a possible mechanism for producing e-p pairs in a device and gives an estimate of the mass increase involved in their production. During the e-p lifetime they are allegedly acted upon by some externally supplied electromagnetic (EM) field thus producing thrust. We conclude that this mechanism is not realistic and is not responsible for the production of a force in these devices.