• Question: Do you believe that the technology that you are working with an on now – ie. thrusters, will ever be used on “human” domestic transport? Through this will we get hyper-fast cars? Or mach 2 broken on Earth, not in the skies? Thanks, Andrew

    Asked by 08wooda to Charlie on 23 Mar 2011.
    • Photo: Charlie Ryan

      Charlie Ryan answered on 23 Mar 2011:

      hi 08wooda! Thanks very much for your question, and your interest in my research.
      Sadly i dont think the thrusters i am working on will be used for human transport – they simply don’t have much force to push a human along! The force they produce is the same as a millionth of the weight of an apple on your hand – so that is pretty much impossible to feel!! This compares to the force from the space shuttle main engine which is like you carries a million appples!!
      So if the force from these rockets is so small why bother with them?? Well although the force is small the ions that are thrown out of them go at very fast speeds – about 10 km per second!! This makes them extremely efficient, although only in space where they don’t have to fight against the earths atmosphere. On earths surface the would completely suck!
      Hope that helps – any further questions please ask!

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