In Webster, TX, Ad Astra Rockets tested the most powerful plasma rocket currently in existence.
The engine is at a crazy 200 kilowatt mark, and could provide boosts to the International Space Station once they've tested it on the craft, which is what the engine (the VASIMR), is made to do.
However, Ad Astra doesn't plan on limiting the VASIMR to this alone. In fact, they plan on setting up high-speed missions to Mars. Whereas trips to mars on conventional space craft would take roughly six months, using this 10-20 megawatt VASIMR engine could get humans there in under 40 days. This is awesome for many reasons, especially that sending out humans would be less of a risk. Robots would normally make more sense in terms of risk, but this short trip would ensure that the astronauts would be exposed to less space radiation.
Here's a bit of the article that explains how the engine works.
"Chang-Diaz has been working on the development of the VASIMR concept since 1979, before founding Ad Astra in 2005 to further develop the project. The technology uses radio waves to heat gases such as hydrogen, argon, and neon, creating hot plasma. Magnetic fields force the charged plasma out the back of the engine, producing thrust in the opposite direction. Due to the high velocity that this method achieves, less fuel is required than in conventional engines. In addition, VASIMR has no physical electrodes in contact with the plasma, prolonging the engine's lifetime and enabling a higher power density than in other designs."
Article: Plasma Rocket Could Travel to Mars in 39 Days
Link: http://www.physorg.com/news174031552.html
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