Candidate in-orbit experiment to test the electromagnetic inertia manipulation concept Available to Purchase

Concerning the electromagnetic field-matter interactions in polarizable media, different formulations predict strongly different results, especially for quasi-stationary fields (Abraham-Minkowski controversy). It has recently been shown that under the assumption of Minkowski’s Energy-Momentum tensor being the right one, by suitably manipulating those fields, the inertial properties of the generating device—the Electro-Magnetic Inertia Manipulation (EMIM) thruster — can be modified, which translates into a force-producing effect on the device as part of a closed system. An experimental setup was built up which consisted of mounting the device as a seismic mass atop a mechanical suspension, where the vibratory motion was detected via a piezoceramic strain transducer and the use of DSP techniques. Processed data pointed to a mechanical vibration induced by EM inertia manipulation, as predicted by Minkowski’s formulation, after all other sources of vibration were taken into account, or removed when possible. However, no direct detection of the sought effect has been obtained up to now. A candidate experiment to be performed in orbit environment is subsequently proposed to assess, beyond all doubt, the validity of these ground testing results, which basically consists of an improved version of the thruster working in a “push and pull” mode onto an International Space Station based platform (Free-Flyer type), as part of the Advanced Propulsion Technology R&D foreseen activities. The existence and strength of EMIM propulsion effects can be assessed by laser interferometry tracking of the platform center of mass. As a bonus, the experiment rationale can be applied to any “propellantless” or breakthrough propulsion physics concept reducible to a force-producing device.