How to test a Reaction-less Dean Drive
For years I’ve heard stories of someone getting a reaction-less drive working. I know there are devices that can skip along on the floor – but I believe they all use a hopping “pushing off” motion not that different than how I traverse even a slippery floor. To the best of my knowledge, proper tests of such claims have only found levels of force less than the accuracy of the system to measure it (I.E. no compelling proof).
The following is a good comment on the subject by Jim Giglio:
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Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 12:13:15 -0400 (EDT) |
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On
Tue, 6 May 2003, Robert wrote: > Imagine
inertial thruster like one described on thet link: Examining
the document referred to, it's from 1993-94, written by Valone of the
misnamed "Integrity Research Institute." The device described seems
to operate by some kind of off-balance rotary motion, similar to the old
"Dean Drive" from the early 60's. Valone does not appear to have
been able to make the thing work, else we'd be seeing daily launchings of
passenger vessels bound for Mars and/or the moon and beyond. Dean couldn't
make it work either, despite alleged test results from an absurdly
over-complicated rig apparently designed quite specifically to prevent the
observer from understanding how either the device or the test rig were
supposed to work. This is a
standard ploy of the fantasy physics crowd; instead of a straightforward test
of functioning, present some kind of Rube Goldberg setup (or pictures of one)
that makes no sense. Jerry Pournelle, commenting on his interaction with Dean
sometime in the early 60s, had this to say about how to test a device that's
supposed to violate the 3rd law: > If
anyone does have a candidate device for producing So Robert,
if you want to convince the world that the 3rd law can be violated by
Valone's device, just build one, and then do Pournelle's test on it. If the
test is successful, call Pournelle and start writing that acceptance speech
that begins with "Ladies and gentlement of the Nobel Committee, I am
deeply honored ...." *-----------------------------* |
Eric's review of free energy claims
The following is a write up from Bob on Eric Laithwaite
I saw the Royal institiution Christmas lecture by
Eric Laithwaite
described in Walt's post. It was not exactly as described. Laithwaite
did not try to lift the apparatus directly. (I suggest it would not
have been that difficult for a fit man to lift 50 pounds!) He tried
to lift it from one end; and failed. He then went on to show that it
was possible to lift it from one end when it was spinning. However he
had to let precesion take place. He claimed this was something
remarkable. Those who knew their physics better did not agree. that
is why the lecture was controversial.
Laithwaite was a brilliant engineer, but a crap physicist. He wasted
the rest of his life in pursuit of this dream of a reactionless
force. Despite many facilities being granted this eminent engineer
with a brilliant track record (no pun intended), he failed to
demonstrate reactionless force using gyroscopes.
it is a sad tale.
Bob Lerwill