Summary

In this paper the author gives a short historical summary of our understanding of the nature of 'empty space'. He then moves on to review a large variety of experimental and theoretical work in the field of zero-point fluctuations, their interpretations, and possible applications to the problem of interstellar voyages. The ZPF is identified as a candidate for a new type of energy source, as well as the key link to manipulating gravity and inertia with technological means. Lastly, he suggests that the ZPF might also provide the structure of vacuum itself for an advanced space propulsion system to 'push against'. While he concedes that our current technological abilities are insufficient to fully take advantage of these new possibilities, he also points out that experimental approaches are available to us now which can serve as the first steps towards the ultimate goal of engineering the vacuum properties of empty space to enable interstellar travel

Abstract

Quantum theory predicts, and experiments verify, that empty space (the vacuum) contains an enormous residual background energy known as zero-point energy (ZPE). Originally thought to be of significance only for such esoteric concerns as small perturbations to atomic emission processes, it is now known to play a role in large-scale phenomena of interest to technologists as well, such as the inhibition of spontaneous emission, the generation of short-range attractive forces (e.g., the Casimir force), and the possibility of accounting for sonoluminescence phenomena. ZPE topics of interest for spaceflight applications range from fundamental issues (where does inertia come from, can it be controlled?), through laboratory attempts to extract useful energy from vacuum fluctuations (can the ZPE be 'mined' for practical use?), to scientifically-grounded extrapolations concerning 'engineering the vacuum' (is 'warp-drive' space propulsion a scientific possibility?). Recent advances in research into the physics of the underlying ZPE indicate the possibility of potential application in all these areas of interest.

Paper

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