VASIMR Rocket Motor Sets Efficiency Record

Officials at the Ad Astra Rocket Company report high levels of power efficiency for their prototype rocket, which was tested at the corporation's labs in Houston, Texas. Upon completion, one such engine will be installed on the International Space Station (ISS).

Engines of this class are based on a new design called Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR), which is powered by an advanced electro-magnetic thruster.

Propulsion is obtained by ionizing and heating propellant via the use of radio waves. After this step, the resulting plasma is accelerated using strong magnetic field, and released to produce thrust.

In essence, VASIMR is one of the few proposed concepts for electric space propulsion systems. Developing this design would have been impossible without conducting research into nuclear fusion.