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NASA Plans Test of New Plasma Drive
Sallust writes "Flightglobal has an interesting article about the testing of a new electrically powered plasma engine called the Vasimir. It's being developed by former astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz and promises to greatly reduce the time and fuel required for interplanetary journeys. According to the article: '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.' The developers are finalising an agreement with NASA to fit a scaled-down version of the engine to the ISS to conduct operational tests. There is also a concept video on YouTube suggesting a journey time for a manned craft to Mars on the order of 60-70 days."
What could possibly go wrong?
Sig? SIG? We don't need no stinkin' sig!!!
...is optimize the plasma conduits, although they'd better make sure not to divert too much power away from the main deflector array, I'd hate to have to reconfigure that thing yet again.
Drill baby drill - on Mars
we will bring the name of Jeebus to Mars before the Apocalypse that Revelations speaks of begins.
*runs away after starting un-needed religious flamewar*
I can see the Big Oil putting a stop to this ASAP!
More importantly how does it compare to twin ion engines? The empire wants to know!
QIE - Quad Ion Engines, now with the added benefit that they don't look like bowties. Under utilized as the name isn't very catchy...
Make sure you are not an ensign on this ship. Additionally if your in a red shirt it would be best to stay away from the plasma conduits. Or yellow shirt for the next generation of this engine.
-Ours is the wisdom of Solomon, the magic of Merlyn, the fall of Icaris.
That plasma is then energised further using radio signals
I'll bet they're broadcasting the plasma's college fight song to it.
Google 'microwave plasma balls' and you will get the idea.
I'm completely in awe that I didn't get a single porn site on the front page doing that search.
"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde
...and get the ownership rights for the drive squared away before you make the trip to Mars -- the last time this happened, the resulting legal battles (between the UN and some free-love hippie with a strange fixation for water) lasted for years.
It is by my will alone my thoughts acquire motion; it is by the juice of the coffee bean that the thoughts acquire speed
I'm sure in 1979 they could walk in to any corner drug store and buy plutonium, but this is 2008. No, no, the only thing that could generate that kind of electricity is a bolt of lightning, but unfortunately you never know when or where it's going to strike.
Whale
That's silly. The new buzzword is 'dual'. Imagine it: Dual Ion Engines - DIE for short. I think it has potential...
"I can has DESTROY ALL HUMANS? LOLZ."
[The slashdot yelling filter has not achieved the level of sentience necessary to comprehend satire.]
Too soon man, too soon.
I live in constant fear of the Coming of the Red Spiders.
No they will be playing, 'Heavy Metal'. by Don Felder. That way you'll get to experience the 'Awesome Bewbage'.
Sig this!