VASIMR VX-200 top view in-vacuum, HD

[dvh065]

Due to the limit speed of conventional thrust, the use of plasma or ion thrust are extremely higher speed but also extremely low mass, so give it time to accelerate, don't know the actually speed in space after a couple years of acceleration.

[Ir0nF1st924]

how does this produce thrust?

[Keinlicht]

@Ir0nF1st924 Hydrogen gas is superheated using radio waves (forming plasma) and accelerated through a magnetic field to high speed. Its an electric rocket, in a sense.

[cerlim]

how does the thrust os a rocket like this compare to a standard rocket for a trip to an orbiting space station?

[nemesisgeek]

@cerlim Plasma or ion rockets provide much lower thrust than a conventional chemical rocket and, in nearly all cases, cannot operate at all in atmosphere.

In space, however, their main advantage becomes apparent - operating at full thrust for days or more nonstop can produce very high velocities.

[ThereasaR]

Is it just me, or does this look like it could be an explanation for the Norwegian light show of late?

[DragonFlyback256]

@ThereasaR

Partly yes. Regarding the blue trail, they principally are the same hot plasma.

[neiderlaander]

Isn't the parsec a measure of distance, not time?

[CrazyForCooCooPuffs]

kessel is full of black holes......the ship that can navigate the shortest route through is the fastest...thats why he says parsec

[trisky1234]

@neiderlaander yup. 3.26 light year.

[ZemplinTemplar]

Cool engine. Would it be feasible to use it for longer interplanetary flights one day ?

[hellomate639]

That's the point. lol. It's all interplanetary.

[socratesxv]

Sure one day. Not in the next 25 years.

[aMammoth]

Isn't this that engine that provides Ion-engine like specific impulses, but isn't an ion engine? And haven't some people speculated that you could induce fusion in it?

[moneyman10k]

@aMammoth no

[xXpezcoolXx]

wait...hum what is that supposed to be?

I'd like to have some info :)

[saintaureus]

VASIMR VX-200 is an experimental plasma rocket engine.

[michu070]

so a potetially starwars esk engine?

[mattetjus]

not quite, according to wikipedia, their plasma jet has a velocity of 30-300km/s, so, with this thing, they'll, if put to use, go a maximum of 0.1% of the speed of light (still takes 4000 years to the nearest star). This is ment for satellites/space crafts travelling outside our atmosphere, within our solarsystem.

[michu070]

i meant starwars esk, because of the way it looks, im not expecting any of our ship to make the kessel run in under 12 parsecs lol

but thank you for extra infor, this technology looks like its got potential

[roidroid]

nah not starwars, more like a slow cargo tug.

watch?v=ZXofYP_VfUg

[michu070]

extra info**