Japan successfully tests rocket engine propelled by new technology

This is very interesting. Are they saying that propulsion from small explosions in a vacuum can be way more efficient than traditional fuel burns?

Are they saying that propulsion from small explosions in a vacuum can be way more efficient than traditional fuel burns?

If applied correctly, yes.

In the 60’s NASA had a project that examined the use of small scale nuclear explosions to launch a vehicle into space. The initial study showed that it was more efficient than traditional rocket propulsion.

The project was discontinued however, for obvious reasons.

Very interesting. If this technology works in larger rockets, it could revolutionize space launches. Looking forward to reading more about this type of engine, in the future.

Just doing some spit-balling here, but if this type of engine can generate as much power as a conventional engine ten times its size, as it says in the article, then it could drastically cut down transit times to the Moon, Mars, and maybe beyond Mars. It might suddenly become practical to make trips to the asteroid belt. The asteroid belt is a wealth of resources, and most of the bodies there do not have a lot of gravity to fight against, making them easier to mine than the Moon or Mars. The largest object in the asteroid belt, Ceres, classified as a dwarf planet, is only one-fourth the size of the Moon, but is said to have more water than all of Earth.

I wonder if they can Propell the bureaucrats away from paper pushing factories and Faxes and move them perhaps up to the 1980's.

Very interesting. If this technology works in larger rockets, it could revolutionize space launches. Looking forward to reading more about this type of engine, in the future.

http://www.istellartech.com

**@1glenn Very interesting. If this technology works in larger rockets, it could revolutionize space launches. Looking forward to reading more about this type of engine, in the future. **I am sure the sneaky Chinese are already checking the servers. They are very interested too!!

, and maybe beyond Mars. It might suddenly become practical to make trips to the asteroid belt. The asteroid belt is a wealth of resources, and most of the bodies there do not have a lot of gravity to fight against, making them easier to mine than the Moon or Mars.

Getting mined materials or finished products from space back to Earth would be a major challenge technically and economically.

This is very interesting. Are they saying that propulsion from small explosions in a vacuum can be way more efficient than traditional fuel burns?

The idea of using a shock wave to propel something through the air is not new. The US Air Force was flying something using pulse wave detonation in the 1990s. The shock waves were felt on the ground and registered as small earthquakes, though these "earthquakes" tended to happen at the same time of day on the same day of the week over the desert of California. The air vehicle left interesting donuts on a rope contrails in the sky.

‘The oxygen will combine with the carbon and the hydrogen in the methane molecule to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O).’ says not only my chemistry teacher. lol That means, not so many people will applaud to this futureless technology attempt.

The No. 31 vehicle of the S-520 sounding rocket series, measuring 8 meters in length and 52 centimeters in diameter and carrying the engine, lifted off from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at around 5:30 a.m., 

The literal morning missile !