Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket

Common card · No. 382079

The Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) is an electrothermal thruster under development for possible use in spacecraft propulsion. It uses radio waves to ionize and heat an inert propellant, forming a plasma, then a magnetic field to confine and accelerate the expanding plasma, generating thrust. It is a plasma propulsion engine, one of several types of spacecraft electric propulsion systems. The VASIMR method for heating plasma was originally developed during nuclear fusion research. VASIMR is intended to bridge the gap between high-thrust, low-specific-impulse chemical rockets and low-thrust, high-specific-impulse electric propulsion, but has not yet demonstrated high thrust. The VASIMR concept originated in 1977 with former NASA astronaut Franklin Chang-Díaz, who has been developing the technology ever since.

Read on Wikipedia · Image NASA; stated as being author in image credit line at both PopSci and NASA website, Public domain