Principal achievements of the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) project at the NASA Johnson Space Center’s Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory (ASPL) are reviewed and objectives for continuing development are described. The evolution of the VASIMR design from the 1994 concept to the present device is summarized. In its present configuration (VX‐10), the VASIMR device consists of a 10 kW helicon plasma source and a 1.5 kW radio‐frequency booster stage. At modest power levels, the measured plasma exhaust velocity implies a specific impulse spanning the range of 5,000 – 12,000 seconds using deuterium propellant. Experimental results indicate very high efficiency for the RF booster stage. Given sufficient power, the helicon source approaches 100 % mass utilization (ionization); however, the ionization cost of the present source must be reduced for satisfactory overall system efficiency. Immediate goals are measurement of thrust in the exhaust plume, reduction of ionization cost, and observation of detachment of the plasma from the magnetic field of the thruster.
Principal VASIMR Results and Present Objectives
SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS INT.FORUM-STAIF 2005: Conf.Thermophys in Micrograv;Conf Comm/Civil Next Gen.Space Transp; 22nd Symp Space Nucl.Powr Propuls.;Conf.Human/Robotic Techn.Nat'l Vision Space Expl.; 3rd Symp Space Colon.; 2nd Symp.New Frontiers ; 2005 ; Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)
AIP Conference Proceedings ; 746 , 1 ; 976-982
2005-02-06
7 pages
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
Principal VASIMR Results and Present Objectives
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