The Chinese are building a radical, game-changing propulsion technology. It converts electrical energy into thrust via microwaves. It will revolutionize satellites and space probes. It could get us to Mars in less than two months!
There’s just one little thing:
To say that the “Emdrive” (short for “electromagnetic drive”) concept is controversial would be an understatement. According to Roger Shawyer, the British scientist who developed the concept, the drive converts electrical energy into thrust via microwaves, without violating any laws of physics. Many researchers believe otherwise. An article about the Emdrive in New Scientist magazine drew a massive volley of criticism. Scientists not only argued that Shawyer’s work was blatantly impossible, and that his reasoning was flawed. They also said the article should never have been published.
Hmmm… The linked article goes on to say that the scientist who developed the idea stands by his work. So we’ll see. Looks like a pretty big longshot, though.
