2001/07/17 by H. E. Puthoff, Puthoff, H. E., Scott Little +4
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #FOS: Physical sciences #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0107316
Paper withdrawn. Author Ibison does not subscribe to some of the speculations in this document
openalex publication_date 2001/07/17 · arxiv created 2010/10/26 · arxiv updated 2010/10/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A theme that has come to the fore in advanced planning for long-range space exploration is the concept of "propellantless propulsion" or "field propulsion." One version of this concept involves the projected possibility that empty space itself (the quantum vacuum, or space-time metric) might be manipulated so as to provide energy/thrust for future space vehicles. Although such a proposal has a certain science-fiction quality about it, modern theory describes the vacuum as a polarizable medium that sustains energetic quantum fluctuations. Thus the possibility that matter/vacuum interactions might be engineered for space-flight applications is not a priori ruled out, although certain constraints need to be acknowledged. The structure and implications of such a far-reaching hypothesis are considered herein.