Commercially Developed Plasma Engine Soon to be Tested in Space

[VipertheSniper]

That article is from 2000, didn't you find anything more recent?

[SUBMAN1]

Like 3, but they all referenced that one so i grabbed that without looking at the date. Let me post all links in a bit.

I would have done this earlier but I had a meeting.

-S

[Tchocky]

I had one of those but the wheels fell off.

[SUBMAN1]

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...e-station.html

NASA to test plasma engine on space station

By Rob Coppinger
NASA expects to sign an agreement to test a new propulsion system on the International Space Station, according to the US space agency's administrator Michael Griffin.

At the AirVenture show in Oshkosh on 29 July, Griffin was asked about the status of NASA's advanced space propulsion research. His reply referred to the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (Vasimir).

The Vasimir involves the injection of a gas such as hydrogen into an engine that turns it into a plasma. That plasma is then energised further using radio signals as it flows through the engine, a process controlled by electromagnetic waves from superconducting magnets. Accelerated and heated through this process the plasma is focused and directed as exhaust by a magnetic nozzle. Vasimir is many times more efficient than conventional chemical rockets and far less fuel is needed.

Griffin says that the next step for the Vasimir is to operate it in space and that "we are at the end stages of agreeing a co-operative agreement for NASA to test the Vasimir engine on station".

The Vasimir engine taken to the ISS would be a scale-model test engine. Griffin says he does not know whether that scale-model engine would be launched by a Space Shuttle and would not give a timescale for Vasimir's possible deployment to the ISS.

The agency signed an agreement in 2006 to co-operate on Vasimir with the Texas based-Ad Astra Rocket corporation. Vasimir was originally conceived by Ad Astra Rocket chief executive and former NASA astronaut Franklin Chang-Díaz.

http://www.adastrarocket.com/vasimr.html

[Platapus]

"That plasma is then energised further using radio signals as it flows through the engine, a process controlled by electromagnetic waves from superconducting magnets"

This is the part I find the coolest.

[baggygreen]

I guess if they're gonna test it on the space station they dont need it in its current orbit anymore

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by baggygreen

I guess if they're gonna test it on the space station they dont need it in its current orbit anymore

I'd use it to boost orbit!

[bookworm_020]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

I'd use it to boost orbit!

To infinity and beyond!

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

I'd use it to boost orbit!

A plasma engine such as this would not be useful for making drastic changes in orbit. Plasma Engines work best out of the heavy orbital influences of planets/stars.

The biggest advantage of Plasma Engines is their fuel efficiency and their ability to provide low thrust for long periods of time. Just the thing when you are schlepping between planets.

But for changing orbital periods or orbital planes a chemical reactive engine would still be your best bet. Using a Plasma Engine to shift orbital planes would not only take a very long time but would be pretty hard to model.

Imagine trying to merge onto a crowded high speed freeway while accelerating at .01 Mile per minute. It can be done but it will take a long time and trying to predict where your car will merge will be pretty hard.

In todays crowded orbital environment you want your orbit changes to occur smartly and predictably. Satellites don't have turn signals and other satellites are notorious for ignoring them anyway.