Chinese Say They're Building 'Impossible' Space Drive

[David Morris]

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/09/chinese-buildin.html

Chinese researchers claim they've confirmed the theory behind an
"impossible" space drive, and are proceeding to build a demonstration
version. If they're right, this might transform the economics of
satellites, open up new possibilities for space exploration –- and
give the Chinese a decisive military advantage in space.

To say that the "Emdrive" (short for "electromagnetic drive") concept
is controversial would be an understatement. According to Roger
Shawyer, the British scientist who developed the concept, the drive
converts electrical energy into thrust via microwaves, without
violating any laws of physics. Many researchers believe otherwise. An
article about the Emdrive in New Scientist magazine drew a massive
volley of criticism. Scientists not only argued that Shawyer's work
was blatantly impossible, and that his reasoning was flawed. They also
said the article should never have been published.

"It is well known that Roger Shawyer's 'electromagnetic relativity
drive' violates the law of conservation of momentum, making it simply
the latest in a long line of 'perpetuum mobiles' that have been
proposed and disproved for centuries," wrote John Costella, an
Australian physicist. "His analysis is rubbish and his 'drive'
impossible."