Plasma rocket technology

[lozina]

http://news.discovery.com/space/plasma-rocket-asteroid-mission.html

It would cut travel time to Mars from 6-9 months down to 39-45 days

It burns so hot they had to develop magnetic fields to control the direction of the exhaust

reading this makes me want to break out the 'ol game Master of Orion...

 

[Gibson486]

lol....if only i tried harder in college, I could have transferred to MIT, graduated, and got a job making that. Oh well...

 

[Pheran]

Nice, I really hope that pans out. Better engine technology could really open up the solar system to exploration.

 

[K1052]

With nuclear power you can cut the flight time to mars down to under 40 days using VASIMR engines.

That kind of technology will most certainly be needed if we're going to start exploring the outer solar system and gain access to the enormous resources of the asteroid belt.

 

[SagaLore]

This makes me happy. ^_^

 

[polarmystery]

*Crosses fingers*

 

[Phoenix86]

Going to the moon, brb.

 

[dawp]

That's cool and all, but, what I want to know is when can I catch a ride with one?

 

[Bill Brasky]

With nuclear power you can cut the flight time to mars down to under 40 days using VASIMR engines.

That kind of technology will most certainly be needed if we're going to start exploring the outer solar system and gain access to the enormous resources of the asteroid belt.

Here's a video of a VASIMR at full power. It has such a goofy sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrc-fP_EqF8

edit: I also really liked this quote from the article.

"Once the rocket reached its target asteroid, the power would be available to operate science equipment and other gear. You could do an extraordinary mission," Chang-Diaz said. "You don't need the power system for the rocket. Once you're there, you turn off the engine and you have 200 kilowatts to do anything you want to do. You can do all kinds of unheard of things with that level of power."

 

[lozina]

Here's a video of a VASIMR at full power. It has such a goofy sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrc-fP_EqF8

Sounds like my dishwasher....

 

[rivan]

Here's a video of a VASIMR at full power. It has such a goofy sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrc-fP_EqF8

edit: I also really liked this quote from the article.

My guess is that you're hearing other equipment, not the rocket itself.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Very cool!

 

[Bill Brasky]

My guess is that you're hearing other equipment, not the rocket itself.

Actually you're correct, since the rocket itself is in a full vacuum chamber. I *think* the dishwasher sound is coming from the electronics that create the magnetic fields and the energy for propellant ionization.

 

[Paratus]

I've seen this demo'd in person a number of years ago. Very cool.
The basic benefit is it works like a transmission giving you more thrust at worse Isp (gas mileage) or less thrust at great Isp.

The Isp ranges from 3000s to over 30,000s. For comparison the most efficient chemical rocket gets 450s, (Space Shuttle Main Engine) with more thrust however.

A 200kw protoype will be mounted to the ISS in a few years, although the station won't be able to run it continuously.

 

[SunnyD]

My guess is that you're hearing other equipment, not the rocket itself.

That's definitely the vacuum pump you're hearing, probably also coil buzz from the electromagnets too.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Aweeeeeeeeesome. 1 month to get to Mars, count me in.

 

[silverpig]

That's definitely the vacuum pump you're hearing, probably also coil buzz from the electromagnets too.

Yep definitely the vacuum pump.

 

[Fritzo]

The problem with going faster is how do you stop at your destination? That's half the problem with advanced propulsion technology.

 

[Atreus21]

The problem with going faster is how do you stop at your destination? That's half the problem with advanced propulsion technology.

http://www.steeda.com/products/_high_res/steeda_brake_pads.jpg

 

[Paratus]

The problem with going faster is how do you stop at your destination? That's half the problem with advanced propulsion technology.

With the VASIMR mission profile I believe you flip around and decelerate halfway to your destination. I3's still faster than big thrust and coast.

Aerobraking may also be possible, ala 2010, or several real Martian probes.

 

[pontifex]

Here's a video of a VASIMR at full power. It has such a goofy sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrc-fP_EqF8

edit: I also really liked this quote from the article.

"Once the rocket reached its target asteroid, the power would be available to operate science equipment and other gear. You could do an extraordinary mission," Chang-Diaz said. "You don't need the power system for the rocket. Once you're there, you turn off the engine and you have 200 kilowatts to do anything you want to do. You can do all kinds of unheard of things with that level of power."

i don't think thats the rocket making that noise, as its heard before and after the rocket has gone off...

 

[SunnyD]

Yep definitely the vacuum pump.

Sounds just like my wife's breast pump did. :sneaky:

The problem with going faster is how do you stop at your destination? That's half the problem with advanced propulsion technology.

With the VASIMR mission profile I believe you flip around and decelerate halfway to your destination. I3's still faster than big thrust and coast.

Aerobraking may also be possible, ala 2010, or several real Martian probes.

This, plus gravitational capture. You put your trajectory such that whatever body is your destination, you utilize its gravity to capture and decelerate yourself.

 

[Gunbuster]

Some blue people are going to die because of this tech

 

[OUCaptain]

Was that Hypnotoad running that test? I guess he didn't get picked up for the new season and had to fall back on his aerospace degree.

 

[SunnyD]

Some blue people are going to die because of this tech

May be true, but I'm gonna get to screw one of em first.