Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Explore the first-of-its-kind orbital test of IVO’s propellantless Quantum Drive, what happened in orbit, and Mike McCulloch’s Quantised Inertia.
Mike's Social Links (More At Bottom):
YouTube:
youtube.com/@mikemcculloch4505
Patreon:
patreon.com/OneSteptoTauCeti
Book (Quantised Accelerations)
amazon.com/dp/B0D53HLDD3
X / Twitter:
https://x.com/memcculloch
Did the IVO Quantum Drive produce a real thrust signal in orbit—or did an ambitious experiment leave us with an intriguing but unresolved anomaly?
In this episode, I speak with physicist and author Dr. Mike McCulloch, originator of Quantised Inertia, about IVO Ltd.’s attempt to test a propellantless electric-drive concept in space.
Mike developed Quantised Inertia as a proposed physical explanation for inertia based on acceleration, Unruh radiation, relativistic horizons, and restrictions on quantum-vacuum modes. He has applied the theory to problems ranging from galaxy rotation and particle masses to laboratory thrust experiments and future propulsion.
The path to orbit began after IVO CEO Richard Mansell contacted Mike in 2019. Building on earlier capacitor experiments, IVO developed its own stacked-capacitor hardware, conducted pendulum and high-vacuum tests, and partnered with Rogue Space Systems to fly the experiment.
The first opportunity launched aboard Rogue’s BARRY-1 satellite on SpaceX Transporter-9 in November 2023. Power-system and communications problems aboard the host spacecraft prevented the Quantum Drives from ever being activated.
A second attempt flew aboard Rogue’s OTP-2 satellite, launched on SpaceX Transporter-13 in March 2025. According to Mike’s current account, the team later reported an apparent thrust response, but a problem involving the testing hardware and command-and-control system limited drive operation to less than approximately one minute. That prevented the large, unmistakable orbital maneuver the team had hoped to demonstrate.
Mike subsequently compared OTP-2 with a reportedly similar satellite and calculated that the IVO spacecraft experienced approximately 600 meters less orbital decay over three months. He argues that the difference is in the general range expected from intermittent drive operation—but he also emphasizes that the result is not conclusive and could have a conventional explanation, including a possible Lorentz force.
Links and Resources:
Dr. Mike McCulloch
University of Plymouth Profile:
plymouth.ac.uk/staff/mike-mcculloch
University Research Profile:
researchportal.plymouth.ac.uk/en/persons/mike-mcculloch
University Article on Quantised Inertia and IVO:
plymouth.ac.uk/news/university-research-inspires-new-commercial-advances-in-satellite-propulsion
ResearchGate Profile and Publications:
researchgate.net/profile/Mike-Mcculloch
IVO Ltd. Official Website:
ivolimited.us
IVO Quantum Drive Introduction and Vacuum-Test Claims:
ivolimited.us/press-release-ivo-ltd-introduces-the-worlds-first-pure-electric-thruster-for-satellites
IVO’s Original Orbital-Test Announcement:
ivolimited.us/press-release-ivo-ltd-to-launch-quantum-drive-pure-electric-satellite-thruster-into-orbit-on-spacex-transporter-8-with-partner-rogue-space-systems
Official Mission Information
Rogue Space Systems OTP-2 Mission Page:
https://rogue.space/missions/otp-2/
SpaceX Transporter-13 Launch Coverage:
nasaspaceflight.com/2025/03/t13
News Coverage of the Space Tests
The Debrief — Pre-Launch Test Plan and Interview with IVO:
thedebrief.org/impossible-quantum-drive-that-defies-known-laws-of-physics-scheduled-for-do-or-die-october-space-flight
The Debrief — BARRY-1 and the First Launch into Space:
thedebrief.org/exclusive-the-impossible-quantum-drive-that-defies-known-laws-of-physics-was-just-launched-into-space
The Debrief — BARRY-1 Failure Before Drive Activation:
thedebrief.org/breaking-satellite-failure-scuttles-first-of-its-kind-in-space-test-of-physics-defying-quantum-drive
Mike McCulloch — “A Tale of Two Satellites” Orbital Analysis:
physicsfromtheedge.blogspot.com/2026/01/a-tale-of-two-satellites.html
Quantised Inertia
Mike’s Physics From the Edge Blog:
physicsfromtheedge.blogspot.com
Introduction to Quantised Inertia:
quantizedinertia.com/about
“Inertia from an Asymmetric Casimir Effect”:
arxiv.org/abs/1302.2775
“Galaxy Rotations from Quantised Inertia and Visible Matter Only”:
arxiv.org/abs/1709.04918
“Modified Inertial Mass from Information Loss”:
pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/bms-research/1795
University Page for Capacitor-Stack Research:
researchportal.plymouth.ac.uk/en/publications/quantised-inertia-capacitor-stack-aluminium-and-copper
Explore the first-of-its-kind orbital test of IVO’s propellantless Quantum Drive, what happened in orbit, and Mike McCulloch’s Quantised Inertia.
Mike's Social Links (More At Bottom):
YouTube:
youtube.com/@mikemcculloch4505
Patreon:
patreon.com/OneSteptoTauCeti
Book (Quantised Accelerations)
amazon.com/dp/B0D53HLDD3
X / Twitter:
https://x.com/memcculloch
Did the IVO Quantum Drive produce a real thrust signal in orbit—or did an ambitious experiment leave us with an intriguing but unresolved anomaly?
In this episode, I speak with physicist and author Dr. Mike McCulloch, originator of Quantised Inertia, about IVO Ltd.’s attempt to test a propellantless electric-drive concept in space.
Mike developed Quantised Inertia as a proposed physical explanation for inertia based on acceleration, Unruh radiation, relativistic horizons, and restrictions on quantum-vacuum modes. He has applied the theory to problems ranging from galaxy rotation and particle masses to laboratory thrust experiments and future propulsion.
The path to orbit began after IVO CEO Richard Mansell contacted Mike in 2019. Building on earlier capacitor experiments, IVO developed its own stacked-capacitor hardware, conducted pendulum and high-vacuum tests, and partnered with Rogue Space Systems to fly the experiment.
The first opportunity launched aboard Rogue’s BARRY-1 satellite on SpaceX Transporter-9 in November 2023. Power-system and communications problems aboard the host spacecraft prevented the Quantum Drives from ever being activated.
A second attempt flew aboard Rogue’s OTP-2 satellite, launched on SpaceX Transporter-13 in March 2025. According to Mike’s current account, the team later reported an apparent thrust response, but a problem involving the testing hardware and command-and-control system limited drive operation to less than approximately one minute. That prevented the large, unmistakable orbital maneuver the team had hoped to demonstrate.
Mike subsequently compared OTP-2 with a reportedly similar satellite and calculated that the IVO spacecraft experienced approximately 600 meters less orbital decay over three months. He argues that the difference is in the general range expected from intermittent drive operation—but he also emphasizes that the result is not conclusive and could have a conventional explanation, including a possible Lorentz force.
Links and Resources:
Dr. Mike McCulloch
University of Plymouth Profile:
plymouth.ac.uk/staff/mike-mcculloch
University Research Profile:
researchportal.plymouth.ac.uk/en/persons/mike-mcculloch
University Article on Quantised Inertia and IVO:
plymouth.ac.uk/news/university-research-inspires-new-commercial-advances-in-satellite-propulsion
ResearchGate Profile and Publications:
researchgate.net/profile/Mike-Mcculloch
IVO Ltd. Official Website:
ivolimited.us
IVO Quantum Drive Introduction and Vacuum-Test Claims:
ivolimited.us/press-release-ivo-ltd-introduces-the-worlds-first-pure-electric-thruster-for-satellites
IVO’s Original Orbital-Test Announcement:
ivolimited.us/press-release-ivo-ltd-to-launch-quantum-drive-pure-electric-satellite-thruster-into-orbit-on-spacex-transporter-8-with-partner-rogue-space-systems
Official Mission Information
Rogue Space Systems OTP-2 Mission Page:
https://rogue.space/missions/otp-2/
SpaceX Transporter-13 Launch Coverage:
nasaspaceflight.com/2025/03/t13
News Coverage of the Space Tests
The Debrief — Pre-Launch Test Plan and Interview with IVO:
thedebrief.org/impossible-quantum-drive-that-defies-known-laws-of-physics-scheduled-for-do-or-die-october-space-flight
The Debrief — BARRY-1 and the First Launch into Space:
thedebrief.org/exclusive-the-impossible-quantum-drive-that-defies-known-laws-of-physics-was-just-launched-into-space
The Debrief — BARRY-1 Failure Before Drive Activation:
thedebrief.org/breaking-satellite-failure-scuttles-first-of-its-kind-in-space-test-of-physics-defying-quantum-drive
Mike McCulloch — “A Tale of Two Satellites” Orbital Analysis:
physicsfromtheedge.blogspot.com/2026/01/a-tale-of-two-satellites.html
Quantised Inertia
Mike’s Physics From the Edge Blog:
physicsfromtheedge.blogspot.com
Introduction to Quantised Inertia:
quantizedinertia.com/about
“Inertia from an Asymmetric Casimir Effect”:
arxiv.org/abs/1302.2775
“Galaxy Rotations from Quantised Inertia and Visible Matter Only”:
arxiv.org/abs/1709.04918
“Modified Inertial Mass from Information Loss”:
pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/bms-research/1795
University Page for Capacitor-Stack Research:
researchportal.plymouth.ac.uk/en/publications/quantised-inertia-capacitor-stack-aluminium-and-copper
