tomcat wrote:

Peter wrote:

tomcat wrote:

In 1956 (in the U.S.) and in 1957 (in the U.K.) no more was written or
said about antigravity.  The last published reports were very
optimistic, however.  A report from the U.K. spoke of a new material
that would be more than adequate to increase the antigravity lift
constant, K.

Which report? I am extremely skeptical. I don't even consider "reports"
until I can read them. I don't mind the idea of aliens or whatever in
saucers, but the idea that 20th century physics could suddenly come up
with antigravity I find totally farfetched.

The URL that follows has been on the web for some time.  When I looked
for it this time, however, I found supporting evidence in a USAF
document with the same (1956) date.  Both documents say essentially the
same thing.  Some of the USAF document, purported to have been
declassified in 1990, is nearly verbatim.

http://www.padrak.com/ine/INE24.html

Thanks for the URL tomcat. Well after reading it I have to regard it as a "puff piece". A "look there's potential in this please fund us to do more work" kind of document.

There is a strong confusion in the document between electromagnetism (particularly electrostatics) and gravity. They don't even mention the 4 fundamental forces (electromagnetism, weak, strong and gravity). No mention of the unity of these forces and symmetry breaking, though this may have been before those theories were propounded. Mostly the article should be called "electromagnetic propulsion", the 'electrogravitics' has all the hallmarks of a meaningless buzz-word.

The idea of using electrostatics I have both a warm feeling for and a lot of skepticism. I remember in my younger days while studying to be a theoretical physicist trying to design my own flying saucer. Yeah electrostatics has certain merits ... and flaws, most notable the breakdown voltage of air which would mean that before you got much lift you be getting huge lightning arcs discharging your charge away. Also it wouldn't protect you from inertial effects, ie. if you made a right angle turn the g-forces would kill you.

At the moment NASA is also funding some "fringe" physics regarding "alternative" propulsion technologies. This includes researching wild and wonderful claims to anti-gravity. Not holding my breath, but a breakthrough would be very nice indeed.

By the way the Canadian saucer-like vehicle I mentioned was the Avrocar

    http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/avro.htm


regards,
Peter