Measurement of resonant cavity for propellantless microwave thrusters at radio frequency

Abstract

RF resonant cavity thrusters are a new concept in propulsion that has the advantage of comparatively large thrust, simple structure and high reliability. Their workings are unknown, but since their reproduction by multiple independent laboratories they show evidence of a potential revolution in the physical sciences, but also require more systematic study of both the phenomenon and the various claims in the production of the device. An EMDrive system comprises a frustum microwave resonance cavity, microwave source, and load. The microwave beam generated by microwave source was input into the frustum microwave resonator to form a pure standing wave and electromagnetic pressure gradient. Thus, along the axial direction of the frustum microwave resonator, net thrust is formed. Current, unverified, theories related to EMDrive predict a net radiation pressure that scales with the Q factor (amount of reflections inside the cavity before the radiation is absorbed) of the cavity, which has been observed. This article, based on classical electromagnetic theory, introduce a building of a propellantless microwave propulsion system work at 2.45GHz. The measurement of Q-factor of this resonance cavity and relative analyze had been completed follow the EMDrive theory.