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Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) propulsion system proposed by Townsend Brown in the early 1960s. via Bill Rose SUPPORT lonic propulsion has been under develop- ment for decades and, while the idea can be traced back to Townsend Brown, the first acknowledged inventor was Major Alexander P De Seversky who filed a US patent in August 1959. By 1964 De Seversky was able to levitate and fly a small remote-controlled model air- craft that looked rather like a kite made of wire mesh. Electronatom Inc, the New York company who represented De Seversky, had high hopes for future development of this sys- CIRCULATING FLUID tem but a lack of investment appears to have brought things to a halt within a year or so and the company disappeared without a trace. From this time onwards some of the larger aerospace contractors started working on similar field effect propulsion projects form of airfoil) and the integrated pressure would resurface about ten years later in the although little information has ever reached would act as a mechanical force. most unlikely place. the public domain. The upper performance Townsend Brown went on to suggest that limits of a full-sized vehicle can only be alkali vapour could be bled into the plasma The British Rail Nuclear Saucer guessed at but there have been suggestions __ flow to further increase its density and signif- Few people would associate flying saucers that an ionically propelled, saucer-shaped _ icantly enhance performance. However, he — withan organisation like British Rail (the UK’s LTA vehicle could achieve supersonic speeds _ did little more than outline the EHD theory in _ national railway network), but in late Decem- and reach an altitude in excess of 200,000ft his discussion paper and many issues, such _ ber 1970 one of its scientists completed an (61,000m). It has also been said that the big- as power generation and plasma contain- extraordinary design for a nuclear-powered ger the dielectric surface the greater the effi- ment, remained unanswered. He tested sev- space vehicle, which was eventually pub- ciency of the ionic flow system, hence the eral small 3.50z (100gm) tethered models, lished as UK Patent No 1310990 in 1973. The reason for building very large vehicles. Steer- making them hover in mid-air and also lift designer was Charles Frederick Osmond, who ing an LTA craft by field effect methods would —_ additional payloads of 0.350z (10gm). The might otherwise have been concerned with work by applying different voltages to various experiments seemed to prove his theory, but locomotion, trains and rolling stock. How- parts of the aircraft, with a selective boost in | Townsend Brown was unable to interest any ever, Osmond had become interested in the voltage lifting or turning that particular areaof commercial or government organisations — idea of using a series of lasers to ignite a liq- the craft. By switching polarity around the — with this ideaand EHD propulsion soon faded _ uid fuel, which was released below the craft. periphery of the vehicle, it would be possible _ into obscurity. Nevertheless, it seems possi- This would result in nuclear fusion taking to manoeuvre through three dimensions with _ ble that secret experiments continued within — place, with the controlled explosion being relative ease. the US defence industry and the basic idea _ contained within a magnetic field. ELECTRODE would resurface about ten years later in the most unlikely place. The British Rail Nuclear Saucer Few people would associate flying saucers with an organisation like British Rail (the UK’s national railway network), but in late Decem- ber 1970 one of its scientists completed an extraordinary design for a nuclear-powered space vehicle, which was eventually pub- lished as UK Patent No 1310990 in 1973. The designer was Charles Frederick Osmond, who might otherwise have been concerned with locomotion, trains and rolling stock. How- ever, Osmond had become interested in the idea of using a series of lasers to ignite a liq- uid fuel, which was released below the craft. This would result in nuclear fusion taking place, with the controlled explosion being contained within a magnetic field. relative ease. T T Brown’s Plasma-Powered Saucer By 1960 interest in electrogravitics was floun- dering and Thomas Townsend Brown began to consider several related methods of propulsion that promised more easily achiev- able results. One of these ideas was Electro- hydrodynamic (EHD) propulsion and Townsend Brown envisaged a flying saucer- shaped vehicle built around a large ballistic electrode. The latter would generate a pow- erful toroidal plasma flow on the craft's underside and create enough pressure to pro- duce substantial lift or forward thrust. With this plasma force beneath the vehicle resem- bling a whirling smoke ring, aerodynamic pressure would be exerted against the entire inner surface of the electrode (making it a .-DISK OR PLATFORM 7.ELECTRODE SECTIONS . LASERS 8.INSULATING STRIPS .CENTRAL REACTOR ZONE 9.NUCLEAR RADIATION SHIELD .LIQUID FUEL NOZZLE 10.COOLING TUBES .POWERFUL ELECTROMAGNETS 11.RADIATING SURFACE . INSULATED ELECTRODES 12 .GENERATOR 13.PASSENGER SECTION 167 CIRCULATING FLUID BR 1973 NUCLEAR POWERED SAUCER PATENT No 1310990 DIAMETER OF CRAFT: 120 FEET CAPACITY: 22 PASSENGERS British Rail’s proposed nuclear fusion-powered flying saucer. British Rail Exotic Propulsion Systems