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[NullForceOmega]

They didn't have forty years of continuous development Strife.  And it isn't some senators pet project like that entire list you just put up was, this is entirely a pentagon op, like the Abrams and the Apache.

[wierd]

Would magnetic boots be an actual practical way to move around in microgravity, or would they be impractical?

In theory?
Could potentially work on any conductive surface through the creation of eddy currents in the material.

In practice?
producing eddy currents strong enough is likely to cause magnetic hysteresis of the material, and runaway heating, especially in thin surfaces where intense field strengths will be needed for good attachment.



The premise is that if you have a moving magnetic field, the induced field in the conductive surface will have interaction, and thus some level of attraction. This requires either a quickly oscillating magnetic field, or a mechanically moving one.

EG, spinning disc magnets in the soles of the shoes would do it, as would a rapidly oscillinating AC current winding.

Noteworthy problems:

The thickness of the conductive surface will play a significant role in how attracted the boots are to the induced magnetic eddies. There was a mythbuster's episode that dealt with this in naturally ferromagnetic surfaces-- the flux that can be generated is proportional to the amount of material being acted on. if the plate is really thin, you will barely cling to it at all, even with very powerful magnets.

Inducing a current through an oscillating current will induce very strong hysteresis, and will run the risk of causing magnetic induction heating in the surface. Unless you like to melt the surface you are trying to stand on, you are going to have a maximum allowable power rating going through the mag coils.

Mechanically rotating magnetic discs use very little power, but run the risk of acting like reaction wheels when not magnetically latched to a surface.

Youtube has plenty of videos demonstrating the interractions between induced magnetic fields and moving permanent magnets. The most poignant are the "neodymium magnet dropped down copper tube" ones.  Basically, the induced magnetic eddies in the tube from the falling magnet partially arrest the magnet on its way down, causing it to fall very slowly, even though the pipe itself is nonmagnetic.

[Cryxis, Prince of Doom]

*sees magnetic boots and microgravity*

Something like that made it into one of my games briefly, it was for spaceship crews to use incase artificial gravity was shut down

(Spaceships in that game were supposed to basically be several rings connected around a barrel of power generators and or single shot rail cannons)

[Dirst]

*sees magnetic boots and microgravity*

Something like that made it into one of my games briefly, it was for spaceship crews to use incase artificial gravity was shut down

(Spaceships in that game were supposed to basically be several rings connected around a barrel of power generators and or single shot rail cannons)

Wouldn't having handholds/footholds spaced regularly about the walls and floors accomplish much the same thing?

In real space stations, they make a concerted effort to avoid having a big empty spot in the middle of a room (but sometimes it can't be avoided).  If the middle of the room is small enough, the astronaut can always reach something to give a push toward the opposite wall.  The exterior of a real space station is studded with attachment points, but you seem to be envisioning conditions not conducive to a slow deliberate EVA style of movement.

[Cryxis, Prince of Doom]

Well the point of ot is that the ships are made to be in constant artificial gravity so having hand holds where you walk would be a hazard. The boots are just in emergency if that segment of the ship stops spinning

[Bumber]

Static cling and sticky boots can be alternatives to magnets.

[Amperzand]

Additionally, big heavy magnet boots are probably more cumbersome than just engineering the thing for microgravity.

Especially with spin-gravity systems, they'd likely spend a good amount of time spun down, such as while running maintenance and around the time of long engine burns.

[wierd]

Gecko tape boots.

Uses vand-der-waals forces to cling to any surface, with or without atmosphere.

sadly, needs periodic cleaning as dirt sticks to the surface, ruining the grip.

https://geckskin.umass.edu/

vastly superior to magboots.

[Jimmy]

Boots with magnets, static, or gecko tape? Pfft. Unless they come with power laces, they're not future enough.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Dirst]

Well the point of ot is that the ships are made to be in constant artificial gravity so having hand holds where you walk would be a hazard. The boots are just in emergency if that segment of the ship stops spinning

I was thinking more of the recessed variety, possibly even with one of those spring-loaded trapdoor thingies to keep it out of the way during normal operation.  Trained crews would just know where the are from the coloring, and get practice when things are spun down.

The lack of heavy boots allows for much more dramatic space-fu maneuvers during boarding actions

[TheBiggerFish]

Have Alcubierre drives been disproven?

[Rolepgeek]

snip

As a note for both of you guys, the ability of one person in a position of power, particularly when trusted and motivated, shouldn't be underestimated. Rajneeshpuram incidents in the state where I live, man. It happens. Doesn't have to be a terror cell to be terrorism.

Also, Jimmy, I'd like to point out three things. One, FOR SCIENCE is actually a motivator for some people, and there is always a way to justify grant spending if you're creative enough. Two, people, including scientists, are not always logical, nor do they follow apparent incentives all of the time.

But I mean, really, just use nanobot cells. Won't be too far off. Only another, oh, 40-100 years before the prototypes go up.

I also still disagree with Gunin on some aspects, but I think that's cuz he was misunderstanding me to some degree. And also I didn't answer mostly because the tone was getting too heated for me to continue with how much stuff I had goin' on. Apologies for that.

Modern physics continues to depress me in that regard. No artificial gravity, no FTL travel, no nothing. A shame that a practical understanding of the world takes all the fun out of it.

All I can do is either hope for proper VR, or hope that we're missing a major piece of the puzzle with the Standard Model.

Still wormholes.

And possibly magic special atoms at that 'island of stability' or whatever if that ever happens. WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY MIGHT DO (I mean, other than just be denser, more expensive versions of existing heavy metals)

[Parsely]

I also still disagree with Gunin on some aspects, but I think that's cuz he was misunderstanding me to some degree.

Huh? Are you sure you didn't mean someone else (maybe Giglamesh)? I went back about halfway through the thread and I don't see or recall myself replying to any of your posts recently.

[Tack]

Well Re: the latest US Mil thing I saw about Power armor, electronic motors were too weak and hydraulic power required hydraulic cables.
Which kills the range of your suited-up-infantryman if he's stuck in a 15-foot circle from where the pump stack is.

That being said, the demo i watched involved the exo-suited man single-handedly loading a 105 mm shell into a howitzer, dropping the necessary gun crew from 7 down to 2 or 3.
But, I guess again, manpower beats moneypower every time.

[Defacto]

Modern physics continues to depress me in that regard. No artificial gravity, no FTL travel, no nothing. A shame that a practical understanding of the world takes all the fun out of it.

All I can do is either hope for proper VR, or hope that we're missing a major piece of the puzzle with the Standard Model.

Aw, I wouldn't say that. It just means that we'll have to do things the hard way!
There is ''artificial gravity'' in a way, we can use centrifugal rings to generate a substitute. That has limitations, of course, but what would all the engineers do if there weren't any limitations? 
FTL is a bit tougher, but as said above, we can't completely discount the thought that it might be possible. Also, moving near c will make the trip significantly shorter for the ship's occupants. You could say that it would ''Faster than light'' in a way.

Another way of doing things could be to simply prepare for a much longer journey - suspended animation of some sort is very much in the realm of possibility.