> Have a look at this (if you're really interested, I recomend turning that
> whole website upside down!):
>
> http://jlnlabs.imars.com/lifters/vacuum/index.htm

I find that unsatisfying.  Remember, the field lines from the wire will be
the same regardless of the presence of air, and presumably the flow of
ions would follow the field lines and bend around the tube.

As for the part where the aluminum plate jumped up toward the wire,
OF COURSE IT DID.  It was charged to 15 kV wrt to the wire.  That's
how a tesla coil makes your hair stand on end and balloons stick to
your back.

The real test, then is to build a lifter where the aluminum "plate" and the
wire "plate" are seperated by a surface which prevents the flow of air
entirely.  Or, operate the entire aparatus in a vacuum.  ISS project,
anyone?

If that surface happened to have a fairly high dielectric constant with only
a minimal mass (say, a slab of aerogel) we'd have a good test of the
concept, and of whether the capacitance has a direct effect on the thrust
generated.

Mike H.

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