United States Patent US6318666B1: Superconductive Geomagnetic Craft (Meissner Levitation + Ampere Propulsion)

Patent Number: US6318666B1 Title: Superconductive Geomagnetic Craft Inventor: Gregory R. Brotz Assignee: Individual Filed: November 15, 1999; Granted November 20, 2001 Status: Expired - Lifetime (expiration 2019-11-15) Worldwide applications: US 1999, WO 2001 (PCT/US2001/047654) Classification: B64C29/0025 — VTOL aircraft Jurisdiction: United States (US) Track Directory (Physics_Math): Track_3/ — Meissner-effect levitation + Ampere-force propulsion in Earth geomagnetic field; superconducting persistent current interacting with B_ext; directly relevant to Attempt 3 gravitomagnetic and superconducting propulsion research

Image files:

• patents_intl/tweets/raw_download/2044333604235362522_1.jpg

Abstract

"A craft that includes superconductive materials that are supported within the geomagnetic field of the earth by means of the Meissner effect. The craft is propelled by means of directing a current from a point to another therein which creates a propelling force thereon within such magnetic field as determined by the right-hand motor rule."

Structural Description

Six patent figures show: an overall craft profile (spherical-to-lenticular shell); cross-section views at multiple orientations; a motor configuration diagram; ring coil geometry; multiple configurations of the internal coil and shield arrangement. The 11 patent citations and 9 citing documents indicate this received significant subsequent attention.

Physics Mechanism 1: Meissner-Effect Levitation

The Meissner effect: a Type II superconductor in the Meissner state expels magnetic flux from its interior (the Meissner-Ochsenfeld effect, 1933). If the craft's superconducting shell is operated below T_c and brought into proximity with an external magnetic field B_ext (Earth's geomagnetic field, or a ground-based field source), the mutual repulsion between the flux-expelled superconducting region and the external field produces a levitation force.

The stored persistent currents in the superconducting winding create a large magnetic dipole moment m. The levitation force scales as:

F_lev ~ (B_ext²/2μ₀) × A_eff

where A_eff is the effective cross-sectional area of the superconductor interacting with the field. For Earth's surface field (~50 μT):

Energy density = B²/2μ₀ ≈ 1 mJ/m³

This is modest; large A_eff is required to support meaningful craft mass. This is why the patent explores multiple geometric configurations across its 6 figures — each configuration is an attempt to maximize A_eff per unit mass.

Physics Mechanism 2: Ampere-Force Propulsion

The propulsion part — "directing a current from a point to another therein which creates a propelling force as determined by the right-hand motor rule" — is the Ampere force:

F = IL × B

For a current-carrying conductor of length L carrying current I in an external magnetic field B, the force F = ILB sin(θ) acts perpendicular to both the current direction and the field. If the "magnetic field" referenced is Earth's geomagnetic field, and the current is driven through the craft's superconducting coil networks in a controlled direction, the Ampere force drives the craft horizontally in any desired direction.

Combined System Operation

The complete system: superconducting Meissner levitation removes the need for aerodynamic lift or conventional thrust to oppose gravity; Ampere-force current-in-field propulsion provides horizontal maneuvering. Together these produce a craft with:

• Vertical hovering — zero acoustic signature (no rotors or jets)
• Horizontal acceleration — limited only by the available current and the local geomagnetic field strength

At Earth's surface (~50 μT), the horizontal Ampere force per unit current length is:

F/IL = B sin(θ) ≈ 50 μN/A·m

A large-diameter superconducting coil carrying 10 kA through a 10-meter path in Earth's field produces F = 5 N. Multiple coil circuits produce aggregate thrust sufficient for meaningful acceleration.

PCT Filing and International Coverage

The WO 2001 filing (PCT/US2001/047654) extends protection internationally, indicating the inventor and possibly supporting parties considered this technology commercially or strategically significant enough to invest in international IP protection.

Sources

• US6318666B1 on Google Patents
• PCT/US2001/047654 (WO international filing)
• Meissner, W. and Ochsenfeld, R. (1933) — original Meissner effect paper

This information was compiled from Break_thrus.mdx staging file.