Engineering the Zero-Point Field and Polarizable Vacuum for Interstellar Flight
Harold E. Puthoff, S.R. Little, M. Ibison
Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol. 55
Summary
Puthoff's foundational 'metric engineering' propulsion paper, co-authored with S.R. Little and M. Ibison (EarthTech International), published in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society. Proposes engineering of the quantum vacuum and a polarizable vacuum (PV) model for propellantless interstellar propulsion — manipulating the local index of refraction of the vacuum to achieve effective warp-drive-like motion without violating conservation laws. This paper is the direct antecedent to `davis-2009-warp-metrics` and the AAWSAP/TTSA propulsion physics research thread. Hal Puthoff is a DECUR-registered key figure whose influence on government UAP science programs spans four decades.
Abstract
We examine two approaches to the issue of propulsion of vehicles through interstellar space, the engineering of the zero-point field (ZPF) and the polarizable vacuum (PV) model of general relativity. In the first approach, we review the prospects for extracting energy and momentum from the quantum vacuum and discuss the conditions under which inertia, gravity, and the speed of light might become engineerable quantities. In the second approach, we develop the PV model of gravitation as an alternative to curved-space general relativity, in which the vacuum is treated as a polarizable medium whose properties (dielectric constant) vary with gravitational potential. We show how manipulation of vacuum polarizability could in principle enable velocities exceeding the free-space speed of light and discuss the energy requirements and feasibility challenges. We argue that these approaches, while speculative, are grounded in established physics and warrant serious consideration for interstellar flight.
Citation
Harold E. Puthoff, S.R. Little, M. Ibison. (2002). Journal of the British Interplanetary Society. Vol. 55
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