Why Scifi Or Even Real Life FTL Or Warp Would Probably Require Propellant...

[Spacescifi]

Why? Simple. Mass is like a dense form of potential energy. It is possible to do the same things we use mass as an energy source for as we do using radiant energies... but radiant energy by it's very nature requires either longer charging times or a massive charging infrastructure already in place. Mass does not require ANY charge time since it is compact and dense as an energy source. As a bonus it makes a good way to dump waste heat too.

So you know how scifi-starships flash out when they hyperjump or go to warp?

Imagine if that required and burned or vaporized propellant each time? That's where the flash comes from! Meaning in order to jump safely you need enough propellant to dump heat and create the flash effect. Because if you don't your hyperjump will be suicide. You will make the jump alright... as a blinding flash of light with your ship's atoms scattered across the void.

Also means jumping from solar system to system and harvesting propellant is absolutely necessary to make the next jump. As well as calculating jumps correctly... since jump too far from a star system and unless you have an uber photon drive or equivalent you won't reach it for millions of years.

Edited April 6, 2023 by Spacescifi

[kerbiloid]

They throw back the whole other universe. It's the mass.