- Joined
- Aug 5, 2011
- Messages
- 2,907
- Reaction score
- 2,279
A rocket or jet engine's specific impulse is the (by definition total impulse; or basically in layman's terms the integers (numbers or a value) assigned to the engine's total thrust over the specific time of which the engine performs) amount of change in momentum (acceleration) delivered per unit of propellant used, and is equal to the amount of thrust divided by the propellant's flow rate through the engine's nozzle(s).
Essentially - how well the engine does per unit of propellant consumed. Simple enough.
The highest rocket impulse ever attained (by chemical reaction) was 542 seconds using a "tripropellant" of lithium, fluorine, and hydrogen. The average impulse of the Space Shuttle's solid rocket boosters is 242 seconds. The average impulse of the Space Shuttle's main engines is 452 seconds. For comparison, the Saturn V rocket, has a specific impulse of around 421 seconds. The Saturn IB rocket has a specific impulse of about 272 seconds.
These space vehicles use rocket fuel along with an oxidizer (liquid oxygen in the case of the Space Shuttle) to provide oxygen during the combustion to provide thrust. I was just wondering, could Dark Energy be somehow 'harvested' and used in a sort of "rocket" engine? Perhaps, one that 'warps' dark energy and sucks it into the engine, then spits it out of the back to provide thrust?
According to Newton's third law of motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. That's where the 'warping' dark energy (or perhaps the very very small amount of matter present in the 'vacuum' of space) comes into play. Sucking in dark energy and spitting it out, according to Newton's third law of motion would provide acceleration in the opposite direction, would it not?
The reason I ask whether dark energy could be used as a sort of 'propellant' is because it is so abundant within the universe and in outer space, plus using it as a propellant by pulling it in and pushing it out might be a bit simpler than a chemical combustion, not having to cryogenically cool the chamber/fuel lines, not having to pressurize the propellant, etc. etc.
Discuss please!
Essentially - how well the engine does per unit of propellant consumed. Simple enough.
The highest rocket impulse ever attained (by chemical reaction) was 542 seconds using a "tripropellant" of lithium, fluorine, and hydrogen. The average impulse of the Space Shuttle's solid rocket boosters is 242 seconds. The average impulse of the Space Shuttle's main engines is 452 seconds. For comparison, the Saturn V rocket, has a specific impulse of around 421 seconds. The Saturn IB rocket has a specific impulse of about 272 seconds.
These space vehicles use rocket fuel along with an oxidizer (liquid oxygen in the case of the Space Shuttle) to provide oxygen during the combustion to provide thrust. I was just wondering, could Dark Energy be somehow 'harvested' and used in a sort of "rocket" engine? Perhaps, one that 'warps' dark energy and sucks it into the engine, then spits it out of the back to provide thrust?
According to Newton's third law of motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. That's where the 'warping' dark energy (or perhaps the very very small amount of matter present in the 'vacuum' of space) comes into play. Sucking in dark energy and spitting it out, according to Newton's third law of motion would provide acceleration in the opposite direction, would it not?
The reason I ask whether dark energy could be used as a sort of 'propellant' is because it is so abundant within the universe and in outer space, plus using it as a propellant by pulling it in and pushing it out might be a bit simpler than a chemical combustion, not having to cryogenically cool the chamber/fuel lines, not having to pressurize the propellant, etc. etc.
Discuss please!
