A magneto-electric quantum wheel.
Alexander Feigel∗
Soreq NRC, Yavne 81800, Israel (Dated: December 5, 2009)
Here we show that self-propulsion in quantum vacuum may be achieved by rotating or aggregating magneto-electric nano-particles. The back-action follows from changes in momentum of electromagnetic zero-point fluctuations, generated in magneto-electric materials. This effect may provide new tools for investigation of the quantum nature of our world. It might also serve in the future as a “quantum wheel” to correct satellite orientation in space.
Click here.
For an earlier explanation of the idea from Fourmilab click here.
"The following is an analogy I've used several times to explain how I can possibly be interested in so-called propellantless propulsion when it was I who coined the maxim, 'Never invest in something that violates a conservation law.' ...
No, to drive swiftly to the stars in our atomic space cars, we don't so much need a new energy source (though one would be nice for a lot of other reasons as well) as we need a “vacuum propeller” or “space screw” which uses the quantum vacuum in the same manner the propeller of the submarine uses the water in the ocean. There is no violation of any conservation law—you still have to expend the requisite energy for the work you're doing to accelerate the payload and momentum is conserved because the propeller is coupling equal and opposite momentum to the vacuum or, writ large, mass in the universe as a whole, which is fair enough since that's where inertia comes from in the first place according to Einstein."