US patent for propulsion system approaching light-speed

[ptgr]

Hey anybody knows anything about this?<br />I found it under US patent 6,960,975 by Volfson, B. <br /><br />Title: Space vehicle propelled by the pressure of inflationary vacuum state.<br /><br />It goes on to describe that it in fact provides for space travel approaching the speed of light. I assume if it is patented, than it should actually work. <br /><br />Considering that it was granted in Novemeber 2005, is anybody aware of any news whether the patent is undergoing development by NASA or anybody at all who's interested in getting off this planet? <br /><br />

 

[alek_a]

<font color="yellow"><i>I assume if it is patented, than it should actually work. </i></font>/i><br /><br />Well, it is not really correct. For a patent to be accepted, one does not need to make a demostrator or a proof of concept or anything similar. It just needs to be confirmed that it has not appeared before i.e. only demonstrate that it is something new.<br /><br />More: the patent office(s) do not accept patents with claims that oppose natural laws, like for instance perpetual machines.

 

[drwayne]

Interestingly enough, that patent is a poster boy these days for controversial patents:<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USPTO<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[jmilsom]

<font color="yellow">In November 2005, the USPTO was criticized by physicists for granting U.S. Patent 6,960,975 for an anti-gravity device.</font><br /><br />Is the patent for anti-gravity device or space propulsion system? Or are they one and the same? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[vogelbek]

It sounds like a zero-point energy derivative.<br /><br />Occasionally you hear murmurs about these "new physics" devices, but they're really tricky...even if the idea can work, prudent investors are very skeptical because of the history of such concepts not working.

 

[bamabuc]

For a complete report on this patent, visit<br />http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=6,960,975