Table of Contents
Will it ever be possible to travel at the speed of light?
So will it ever be possible for us to travel at light speed? Based on our current understanding of physics and the limits of the natural world, the answer, sadly, is no. So, light-speed travel and faster-than-light travel are physical impossibilities, especially for anything with mass, such as spacecraft and humans.
Can we reach 99\% light speed?
In a world-changing breakthrough in physics, NASA engineer David Burns has recently conceptualized an engine which can theoretically accelerate to 99 percent of the speed of light – all without using propellant, as per international reports.
Is it possible to travel faster than the speed of light?
NASA starts building faster-than-light warp engine. Researchers at NASA’s Texas-based Johnson Space Center are trying to prove that it is possible to travel faster than the speed of light, and hope to one day build an engine that resembles the fictional Starship Enterprise.
How fast are particles accelerated in space?
Yet all across space, from black holes to our near-Earth environment, particles are, in fact, being accelerated to incredible speeds, some even reaching 99.9\% the speed of light. One of NASA’s jobs is to better understand how these particles are accelerated.
How fast can a particle engine go?
Tiny particles are fired at high speed using electromagnets, recycled back around the engine, and fired again. Using a loophole in the laws of physics, the engine could theoretically reach speeds of around 297 million metres per second, according to Dr Burns. The contraption is just a concept for now, and it’s not clear if it would actually work.
Can electromagnetic fields accelerate particles at near-light speed?
In the right conditions, electromagnetic fields can accelerate particles at near-light-speed. On Earth, electric fields are often specifically harnessed on smaller scales to speed up particles in laboratories.