codyg1985’s Think Tank

A proposal to achieve near-luminal propulsion speeds was unveiled by Dr. Franklin Felber at Space Technology and Applications International Forum (STAIF) in Albuquerque, NM. The system works by propelling a secondary spacecraft to a little more than half the speed of light. Felber’s paper argues that in front of this secondary spacecraft a narrow “antigravity beam” would form that would repel anything in front of the spacecraft away from it. A primary spacecraft would be placed in front of the secondary vessel, and according to the paper the primary spacecraft would move at near light speeds, assuming its initial speed was the same as the secondary spacecraft.

The paper also argues that this method of propulsion would not involve strong tidal forces which would rip the spacecraft to shreds.