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00:00:00 – 00:46:55
The video documents groundbreaking work by developers at Exus on a novel propulsion device that generates thrust exceeding one Earth gravity without the use of propellants. Their approach, rigorously tested since 2018, involves converting field momentum into mechanical momentum, exploring electrostatic pressure rather than mechanical or magnetic forces. This discovery challenges traditional conservation of energy principles, causing excitement and intrigue within the scientific community.
Extensive testing led by Drew has been pivotal, with thousands of tests meticulously documented since 2020. The team emphasizes reproducibility and credibility, noting contributions from NASA's expert on electrostatics. Key concepts include asymmetrical electrical pressure and the significance of free and bound charges, with the fine structure constant, Alpha, playing a role in their findings.
The propulsion technology leverages high electric fields achievable in a vacuum, suggesting transformative applications, like solid-state devices for satellite adjustments or electrodynamic dust shields. Experimental validation continues to be critical, aiming towards peer-reviewed publications and potential space trials.
Independent from their NASA roles, the Exus team envisions far-reaching impacts, including revolutionizing space travel with propellant-less propulsion, offering efficient, long-duration propulsion for satellites and deep-space missions. Their ultimate goal is to transform Earth-bound transportation, underscoring a future where vehicles may operate without traditional fuels.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, developers at Exus discuss their work on a new type of propulsion device that generates over one Earth gravity of force without using propellant. Through rigorous testing in a hard vacuum, they determined that the force is not due to known electrostatic effects but most likely relates to electrostatic pressure. The explanation involves the conservation of energy with components related to both volume and surface area. They described their experimental approach, which centered on converting field momentum to mechanical momentum, drawing on historical scientific investigations. Despite earlier theoretical assumptions not fully matching experimental results, they highlighted the importance of empirical validation in science. They also emphasized that this discovery represents a fundamentally new understanding, distinct from past claims often marred by experimental errors like ion wind. They reassured viewers of their credibility, noting that one of the speakers is NASA’s subject matter expert on electrostatics.
00:05:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the expertise required in the field of electrostatics and highlights their progression in understanding and developing mechanisms that avoid false positives in experiments. They describe their journey from initially considering field momentum conversions to focusing on electrostatics over mechanical and magnetic forces. Important points include the necessity of charge rather than currents or magnetic fields to create the desired effects and the process of ruling out alternative explanations like ion wind or Coulomb attraction. The segment emphasizes the importance of reproducible results and how the team has methodically built upon their findings since 2018, while managing resource constraints. The speaker also introduces the concept of asymmetrical electrical pressure and how their understanding of free and bound charges adds to the uniqueness of their device, which generates a propulsive force once charged.
00:10:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the perplexing nature of creating force without continuous energy input, which challenges traditional physics concepts like the conservation of energy. They mention that static electricity can hold charge without a power source, which helps in this phenomenon, but the ongoing force without additional energy remains mind-boggling to physicists. They express uncertainty about the upper limits of the thrust that can be generated, with possibilities ranging up to a kilogram, but emphasize the need for further experimental work, new technologies, materials, and testing setups.
The discussion transitions to the extensive testing carried out by Drew, who has performed thousands of tests, meticulously documenting data, images, and videos since 2020. Despite the comprehensive data collection, analyzing this vast amount of data will take years. The segment touches on the potential for this research to transform understanding in physics and propulsion, possibly leading to developments that were previously considered impossible, such as propellant-less propulsion. This breakthrough suggests potential future innovations in creating force and energy from the vacuum.
00:15:00
In this part of the video, the discussion revolves around the structure and energy of the vacuum, indicating that there’s much to be explored in this field of physics. The speaker elaborates on the potential for manipulating the vacuum’s energy and suggests that future research could focus on this area. Current efforts are primarily centered on direct current (DC), but alternate current (AC) and high-frequency AC are also considered viable. They are exploring the scalability of devices, noting the ability to stack devices to increase force and the potential for mass production using semiconductor manufacturing techniques. The discussion also touches on the importance of electric fields over voltage in creating forces, implying that future devices could be smaller yet powerful. A long-term goal mentioned includes creating solid-state devices for applications such as satellite adjustments. The speaker also relates the experimental findings to quantum mechanics, noting that the observed forces align with the quantum mechanical fine structure constant, Alpha, emphasizing the role of this constant in their experimental results.
00:20:00
In this part of the video, the discussion revolves around the definition and applications of the term “Alpha” in physics. The speakers explain that Alpha has various definitions across different fields, but in their context, it’s defined as the ratio of the electrostatic charge energy to the energy of a photon of the same wavelength. They delve into the intricacies of free and bound charges and how these relate to electrons and ions, with bound charges requiring more energy to be trapped within a dielectric material.
The segment also highlights the benefits of conducting tests in a vacuum, where there is no gas to cause breakdowns due to high electric fields. This allows for higher electric fields to be achieved compared to air testing. The challenges of air tests are also outlined, such as the need for lightweight materials like styrofoam for thrusters to counteract ion wind and inertia. On the other hand, vacuum allows for more robust and compact designs without the need for thick dielectric coatings, which would add unnecessary weight.
The video further describes the meticulous procedure involved in vacuum chamber testing, including ensuring a high vacuum, removing moisture, and using conductive carriers to avoid unwanted interactions. Finally, the importance of shielding test articles with a Faraday cage to safely measure forces when high voltages are applied is emphasized.
00:25:00
In this segment, the speaker discusses the challenges in measuring the performance of a thrust device, emphasizing that while the thrust itself might be above Earth’s unity, the overall system—including housing, wires, power supply, and protective cages—adds mass that needs to be accounted for. The performance metric used is the force divided by the mass of the thruster.
The speaker notes significant progress since their last interview, both in research and in public recognition of their work. They express excitement about the growing interest from the scientific community, despite initial skepticism due to the profound nature of their findings. Comparisons are made to the historical skepticism and eventual acceptance of ion wind thrusters.
The speaker further highlights the educational potential of their work, aiming to make experiments replicable at home and to foster understanding of electrostatics, which is an underrepresented field in the U.S. They describe ongoing efforts in developing electrodynamic dust shields for space applications, such as keeping equipment clean on Mars and the Moon.
00:30:00
In this part of the video, the discussion centers on the history, development, and application of electrodynamic dust shield (EDS) technology. Originating from the work of electrostatic scientist Senichi Masuda in the 1970s, this technology was advanced by Dr. Sid Clemens and colleagues and was rebranded over the years. EDS technology has since found potential uses in space for cleaning solar panels, radiators, camera lenses, visors, and more, addressing critical needs for maintaining equipment in space environments.
The segment highlights NASA’s interest and recent missions involving EDS payloads, including one on the Intuitive Machines lander and another on the Astrobotic’s Blue Ghost lander. There’s also a discussion on how the microelectronics industry, worth $6 billion, has supported electrostatics to manage and reduce electrostatic fields, which is vital to the industry. The conversation touches upon the potential for presenting this propulsion work at various industry conferences, noting that while some are focused on integration circuits and preventing electrostatic discharge, others, like the Electrostatic Society of America, cover broader applications, including space technology, safety, and various industry uses.
00:35:00
In this part of the video, the discussion focuses on the differentiation between the speaker’s work with NASA and their separate project, Exodus. The speaker emphasizes that their work with Exodus is an independent after-hours project and not related to their NASA duties. They explain that while they worked with NASA both as a contractor and currently in a supervisory role since returning in 2019, Exodus operates independently.
The segment also highlights the common practice among federal scientists of engaging in external projects, peer review, and journal editing outside of their primary job. The conversation shifts to future plans for publishing peer-reviewed papers on the technology they’re developing, acknowledging the challenge due to the extensive data set of roughly 3,000 tests.
The speaker mentions the significant effort and dedication put into the Exodus project by the team over many years, despite it being unpaid work, driven by the belief in their discoveries. They stress the importance of additional validation through space trials to confirm their findings, emphasizing the potential groundbreaking nature of their work and their commitment to rigorous scientific validation.
00:40:00
In this segment of the video, the discussion centers around experiments and hypotheses related to a device and its potential to operate in space. The speaker explains that if the device moves in space, it would confirm a real phenomenon which could revolutionize scientific understanding and practical applications. They highlight parallels to existing technologies like superconducting magnets used for attitude control and micro thrusters used in electrostatics, emphasizing the efficiency and lack of moving parts in the new device. The potential impact of this technology includes long-duration propulsion without the need for gases or liquids, making it viable for satellite and deep-space missions. Remarkably, the propulsion could achieve significantly faster travel times within the solar system, which could lead to substantial advancements in space exploration and colonization. The segment concludes by drawing an analogy to NASA’s advancements with solar probes, suggesting that similar incremental improvements could yield profound long-term results.
00:45:00
In this segment of the video, the discussion centers on a new propulsion technology that eliminates the need for carrying propellant. Key points include its potential to revolutionize space travel due to its small, lightweight thrusters requiring minimal power. The ultimate aim is to transform transportation on Earth, envisioning a future without gasoline, hydrogen, or electric-powered vehicles. The conversation also considers starting with water transportation, like boats, due to the lower thrust requirements and the likely higher initial comfort level for people compared to airplanes. The segment concludes with expressions of gratitude and optimism about the future impact of this technology.