Future of Antimatter Production

[UltraBudgie]

Antimatter technology could be closer than we think!

Antimatter propulsion is a groundbreaking technology with potential to transform space exploration, enabling travel to distant locations once deemed impossible. Utilizing antimatter annihilation, this propulsion method boasts an unmatched energy density of 9 × 10¹⁶ J/kg, released with 100% efficiency when antimatter meets matter. Approximately 70% of this energy can be harnessed for propulsion, offering superior efficiency compared to existing technologies, despite some practical losses. Spacecrafts can traverse the Solar System to reach nearby stars in span of days to weeks (within a human lifetime) due to this enormous energy potential. Compared to traditional rocket fuel and nuclear power, antimatter propulsion promises significant environmental benefits by reducing carbon emissions and radioactive waste.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar...2724004518

While this seemed an "out there" futuristic concept, serious science ™ has been steadily increasing:




Here is an exponential scale diagram showing how antimatter propulsion compares to other energy generating methods:




The article linked above gives a nice overview; here is a diagram with some of the key points:




I know it's natural to be cynical -- after all, flying cars are still "ten years off", but what about the idea that this is a form of gradual disclosure of secret technology that already exists? Acclimating the public to the idea of the petro-dollar and oil-control system collapsing and being gradually replaced. Certainly technology like this would require strong central infrastructure and regulation! Is it possible?

[IdeomotorPrisoner]

Why does this seem like the plot of a Dan Brown novel. Where's the Illuminati?

Thinking about "antimatter storage vessels," CERN, and The Vatican now... that was a terrible book..

Anyway, where are we in anti matter storage capacity (I don't think it's much), and how to they know the energy output is enough for FTL. Which is what that quote leads one to believe.

They're being deceptive otherwise. Sure, a single human lifespan could be on one of these crafts and visit Arroway's father on Vega, but what they don't tell you is they still can't break down the laws of physics, and could only go 99.99999% the speed of light at most, which through dilation wouldn't age you much, but when you return, time is relative.

If a star is 45 lightyears away and you go .9999999 the speed of light the round trip only takes 14½ days for you. But everyone would be dead when you got back. Unless they're suggesting you can open up an Einstein-Rosen Bridge with said stockpiled antimatter.

But there's charts and pictures of sci-fi engine cores. And it's on Science Direct.

[UltraBudgie]

Why does this seem like the plot of a Dan Brown novel. Where's the Illuminati?

Thinking about "antimatter storage vessels," CERN, and The Vatican now... that was a terrible book..

Anyway, where are we in anti matter storage capacity (I don't think it's much), and how to they know the energy output is enough for FTL. Which is what that quote leads one to believe.

They're being deceptive otherwise. Sure, a single human lifespan could be on one of these crafts and visit Arroway's father on Vega, but what they don't tell you is they still can't break down the laws of physics, and could only go 99.99999% the speed of light at most, which through dilation wouldn't age you much, but when you return, time is relative.

If a star is 45 lightyears away and you go .9999999 the speed of light the round trip only takes 14½ days for you. But everyone would be dead when you got back. Unless they're suggesting you can open up an Einstein-Rosen Bridge with said stockpiled antimatter.

But there's charts and pictures of sci-fi engine cores. And it's on Science Direct.

I heard someone mention that it would take 1kg of antimatter to provide the energy necessary to accelerate 1kg of regular matter to 0.85c. Which would mean that it would take as much to decelerate too, and if you have to carry it with you, then it wouldn't be possible. Does antimatter weigh the same as regular matter? It would be handy if it had negative mass, but I imagine such a thing doesn't exist...

Can anyone check the math of this? Lol. I guess a practical experiment is out of the question right now.

Also I wonder if her father was an alien all along?

[Byrd]

Antimatter technology could be closer than we think!


While this seemed an "out there" futuristic concept, serious science ™ has been steadily increasing:




Here is an exponential scale diagram showing how antimatter propulsion compares to other energy generating methods:




The article linked above gives a nice overview; here is a diagram with some of the key points:




I know it's natural to be cynical -- after all, flying cars are still "ten years off", but what about the idea that this is a form of gradual disclosure of secret technology that already exists? Acclimating the public to the idea of the petro-dollar and oil-control system collapsing and being gradually replaced. Certainly technology like this would require strong central infrastructure and regulation! Is it possible?

Be cynical.  The "science direct" quote talks about going to the nearest stars in days or weeks, which basically means breaking the Speed of Light limits.

The two authors are supposed to be in the department of engineering, but I don't see evidence that they understand basic FTL physics.  I think that if I knew more about antimatter, I could comment on that... but I'm not up on it.

Ideomotor's questions are also spot on.

[Byrd]

If a star is 45 lightyears away and you go .9999999 the speed of light the round trip only takes 14½ days for you. 

Actually, one way would take about half a year longer than 45 years.  "Lightyear" is both a distance and a measure of time.  If you travel at the speed of light, it takes 45 years to get to that star.  Proxima Centauri (nearest star) is 4.25 light years, so if you're traveling at a speed of .999999 lightyears, then it'll take about 4 years and 4 months.  Round trip is 2 x 4.25 - about 8 years and 8 months if you just fly out, wave at the star, and head right back.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nearest_stars

[IdeomotorPrisoner]

I just used this calculator. I just thought that when you accelerate that close to the speed of light, the thing travelling at extreme velocity experiences far less relative time.



That's all I was saying.. so if they ever developed an antimatter drive that can go that fast it would be a hell of a long mission on earth. Like even the 9 year round trip (experienced as 9 years on earth) is only experienced as 1.4 days to the person going there and back.

Unless I've always been wrong on how relativity and time dilation works, which is also possible.

[Byrd]

I just used this calculator. I just thought that when you accelerate that close to the speed of light, the thing travelling at extreme velocity experiences far less relative time.



That's all I was saying.. so if they ever developed an antimatter drive that can go that fast it would be a hell of a long mission on earth. Like even the 9 year round trip (experienced as 9 years on earth) is only experienced as 1.4 days to the person going there and back.

Unless I've always been wrong on how relativity and time dilation works, which is also possible.

Fair point.  

And yeah, it would be unsettling to go to space for a week and come back 50 years later.  You wouldn't even be able to use the new technology (50 years ago, computers were big things only used in businesses, had few video terminals, and couldn't do graphics and you had to program in things like COBOL.)

[IdeomotorPrisoner]

Fair point.  

And yeah, it would be unsettling to go to space for a week and come back 50 years later.  You wouldn't even be able to use the new technology (50 years ago, computers were big things only used in businesses, had few video terminals, and couldn't do graphics and you had to program in things like COBOL.)

I'm just wondering when this paper says "travel interstellar space to nearby stars in a matter of weeks" what they really mean. That's the claim that stood out.

That's kinda why I brought it up. They left it unsaid which relative viewpoint only experiences a week. If they mean mission control, I'm at a loss in my nerdy armchair.

Are they going to use an antimatter drive to open up a wormhole, and is it similar to creating a black hole?

You can't accelerate up to the speed of light and then break it, no matter how much power you use, so you gotta move around space/time.

Einstien's been right so far. So can we create an Einstein-Rosen Bridge like a black hole with a white hole? And can you construct an antimatter drive or even laser capable of creating one? Is the distance between black hole and white hole controlled by the amount energy used to create it?

Stargate made up an element called "Naquadria" to open up "hyperspace windows" and Star Trek used a reaction between "deuterium" and "antideuterium", modulated with a "dilithium crystal" to achieve "warp speed."

They opened this line of questioning by saying the implications of antimatter is propulsion for interstellar travel.

[Byrd]

I'm just wondering when this paper says "travel interstellar space to nearby stars in a matter of weeks" what they really mean. That's the claim that stood out.

That's kinda why I brought it up. They left it unsaid which relative viewpoint only experiences a week. If they mean mission control, I'm at a loss in my nerdy armchair.

Are they going to use an antimatter drive to open up a wormhole, and is it similar to creating a black hole?

You can't accelerate up to the speed of light and then break it, no matter how much power you use, so you gotta move around space/time.

Einstien's been right so far. So can we create an Einstein-Rosen Bridge like a black hole with a white hole? And can you construct an antimatter drive or even laser capable of creating one? Is the distance between black hole and white hole controlled by the amount energy used to create it?

Stargate made up an element called "Naquadria" to open up "hyperspace windows" and Star Trek used a reaction between "deuterium" and "antideuterium", modulated with a "dilithium crystal" to achieve "warp speed."

They opened this line of questioning by saying the implications of antimatter is propulsion for interstellar travel.

It's interesting to think about how that would affect families and relationships and jobs.  One scientist friend of mine says that it would be kinder to first send robots instead, since they wouldn't mourn the loss of friends and families... and I think he has a reasonable point (although I would love to go to space and travel to the stars!)

Anyway, I think that practical near light drives are more than 50 years aheadh.  I could be wrong, but that's my guess.