Jeff Greason - A Reaction Drive powered by external dynamic pressure

- Jeff Greason discusses a new type of reaction drive, powered by external dynamic pressure. Learn more about this concept here: A new class of reaction drive is discussed, in which reaction mass is expelled from a vehicle using power extracted from the relative motion of the vehicle and the surrounding medium, such as the solar wind. The physics of this type of drive are reviewed and shown to permit high velocity changes with modest mass ratio while conserving energy and momentum according to well-established physical principles. A comparison to past propulsion methods and propulsion classification studies suggests new mission possibilities for this type of drive. An example of how this principle might be embodied in hardware suggests accelerations sufficient for outer solar system missions, with shorter trip times and lower mass ratios than chemical rockets. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This event is part of Estes Park Advanced Propulsion Workshop 2020, hosted online in Zoom format and moderated by Hal Fearn from CSU Fullerton. • Event: Estes Park Advanced Propulsion Workshop 2020 • Sponsors: CSU Fullerton / Space Studies Institute () • Website: ~hal/