A new means of space propulsion... closed loop pulse propulsion... here's the idea

[mikelewis]

12. That isn't quite correct... Try this...

You have two ships in space.

You fire your railgun at the ship behind you. The recoil pushes you forward and the bullet is pushed behind you heading toward the other ship.

So now you are moving.

Now the space ship behind you fires at you. The projectile hits the back of your ship... also propelling you forward.

You continue to move only faster because the forces combine.

Now the projectile you shot bounces off the other ship and hits your ship. That is also fine correct, it's hitting you in the same direction you are traveling. The forces combine, you move even faster.

Now, believe it or not... if you fire a projectile into an arc. The arc conserves that momentum in the slug, not in your ship. That arc takes that force and redirects it... it does lose some energy, Newton still reigns supreme here... we're not violating any laws here.... but it does allow us to redirect that force into the same direction and just as in the ricochet, the forces combine and you move even faster. And now fire again... and again... and again... you've a railgun and a nuclear reactor... keep firing till you run out of juice.