- A startup (Ivo Ltd) announced a “fuel-less” satellite thruster claiming 45 mN thrust from a 1 kW power supply, based on Mike McCulloch’s “quantized inertia” (QI) theory; the announcement was met with skepticism that it is either an EM-drive-style scam or a breakthrough requiring new physics.  
- Participants debated whether the device violates conservation of momentum; proponents argue it pushes against a quantized inertial/gravitational field rather than expelling reaction mass, making it analogous to a photon rocket but with far higher thrust-to-power.  
- If real, the 0.45 mN/W performance could enable constant-thrust interstellar missions by pairing the thruster with a 100 MW nuclear reactor, converting electrical power directly into motion without propellant.  
- A German lab (widely assumed to be Martin Tajmar’s group) reportedly replicated the 45 mN thrust, lending the claim limited credibility, yet most channel members demand an in-orbit CubeSat demo before accepting it.  
- The underlying QI theory is rooted in MOND (Modified Newtonian Dynamics), which posits that galaxy rotation curves can be explained without dark matter by quantizing inertia; successful thruster operation would upend cosmology and high-energy physics.  
- Discussion noted that a 45 mN force is large enough to test easily on a torsion balance or small satellite, so experimental failure or confirmation should emerge quickly.  
- Hardware feasibility was considered: participants speculated the device could be built with a custom PCB stack-up and standard microwave components, suggesting low-cost replication if the effect is genuine.  
- A side note revealed that the theory’s author has been criticized for transphobic remarks, though participants agreed this does not affect the scientific validity of the physics.