NASA Announces Results of Epic Space-Time Experiment

stulid · 6 May 2011 at 19:55

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/04may_epic/

May 4, 2011: Einstein was right again. There is a space-time vortex around Earth, and its shape precisely matches the predictions of Einstein's theory of mavity.

Cosimo · 6 May 2011 at 20:02

More on the mission here:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/gpb/

Glaucus · 6 May 2011 at 20:03

Brilliant, I love NASA. Need more money and missions.

Remember reading a snippet about a new propulsion system that was due for testing soon or within a few years that would be many times faster than anything we currently have, anyone know what its called.

Nate--IRL-- · 6 May 2011 at 20:15

I have to admit I find this stuff fascinating, thanks OP.

Nate

Tefal · 6 May 2011 at 20:19

AcidHell2 said:
Brilliant, I love NASA. Need more money and missions.

Remember reading a snippet about a new propulsion system that was due for testing soon or within a few years that would be many times faster than anything we currently have, anyone know what its called.

I think that was the tests on the ion drive for future probes

xxalxx · 6 May 2011 at 20:25

VASIMR ?

Glaucus · 6 May 2011 at 20:30

xxalxx said:
VASIMR ?

Thanks that looks like it, remember it being born out of nuclear research and being an abbreviation.

Seem they have some way to go, 200kw system. We need

A 12 MW Vasimr system could send a ship to Mars in less than 120 days one way. A 200 MW Vasimr could go to Mars in 39 days.

Rich_L · 6 May 2011 at 20:31

Einstein had some mad skillz fo sho

tibbsey · 6 May 2011 at 20:53

Don't understand most of that article but it's cool stuff nonetheless!

Good show Einstein!

SourChipmunk · 9 May 2011 at 12:05

Is it just me, or does the word "Epic" in the title, used in proper context, seem out of place here as it has been so over-used across the internet so much the last couple years?

It is so cool to hear the results of an experiment that began six years ago, find out it was successful, and also to find out it demonstrated the results that were predicted. How many other experiments have we read about that we are still awaiting published results for?

Great article.

Nix · 9 May 2011 at 12:10

Right, just need that grand-unifying theory now then.

Anyone fancy a stab?

FNGsam · 9 May 2011 at 12:17

Nix said:
Right, just need that grand-unifying theory now then.

Anyone fancy a stab?

42?

Angst · 9 May 2011 at 12:26

FNGsam said:
42?

lol

Vampire · 9 May 2011 at 12:31

Raist said:
Is it just me, or does the word "Epic" in the title, used in proper context, seem out of place here as it has been so over-used across the internet so much the last couple years?

Title should be purple in colour if it's an epic.

'Wes · 9 May 2011 at 12:35

Vampire said:
Title should be purple in colour if it's an epic.

Epically true.