10/6/12 Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket - Wikipedia, the free enc clopedia

Va iable Specific Imp l e Magne opla ma

Rocke
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Va iable Specific Imp l e Magne opla ma

Rocke (VASIMR) is an electro-magnetic thruster for
spacecraft propulsion. It uses radio waves to ionize and
heat a propellant, and magnetic fields to accelerate the
resulting plasma to generate thrust. It is one of several
types of spacecraft electric propulsion systems.

The method of heating plasma used in VASIMR was

originally developed as a result of research into nuclear
fusion. VASIMR is intended to bridge the gap between
high-thrust, low-specific impulse propulsion systems and
low-thrust, high-specific impulse systems. VASIMR is
capable of functioning in either mode. Costa Rican Artist's impression of multi-megawatt VASIMR
scientist and former astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz spacecraft
created the VASIMR concept and has been working on
its development since 1977.[1]

Con en
1 Design and operation
1.1 Benefits and drawbacks of design
2 Research and development
2.1 Development of the 200 kW engine
2.2 Testing on the space station
2.2.1 VF-200
2.2.2 NASA partnership
3 Potential future applications
3.1 Use as a space tug or orbital transfer vehicle
4 Criticisms of VASIMR
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

De ign and ope a ion

The Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket, sometimes referred to as the Electro-thermal Plasma
Thruster or Electro-thermal Magnetoplasma Rocket, uses radio waves[2] to ionize and heat propellant, which
generates plasma that is accelerated using magnetic fields to generate thrust. This type of engine is electrodeless
and as such belongs to the same electric propulsion family (while differing in the method of plasma acceleration)
as the electrodeless plasma thruster, the microwave arcjet, or the pulsed inductive thruster class. It can also be
seen as an electrodeless version of an arcjet, able to reach higher propellant temperature by limiting the heat flux
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from the plasma to the structure. Neither type of engine

has any electrodes. The main advantage of such designs
is elimination of problems with electrode erosion that
cause rival designs of ion thrusters which use electrodes
to have a short life expectancy. Furthermore, since every
part of a VASIMR engine is magnetically shielded and
does not come into direct contact with plasma, the
potential durability of this engine design is greater than
other ion/plasma engine designs.[1]

The engine design encompasses three parts: turning gas

into plasma via helicon RF antennas; energizing plasma
via further RF heating in an ion cyclotron resonance
frequency (ICRF) booster; and using electromagnets to VASIMR schematic
create a magnetic nozzle to convert the plasma's built-up
thermal energy into kinetic force. By varying the amount of energy dedicated to RF heating and the amount of
propellant delivered for plasma generation VASIMR is capable of either generating low-thrust, high-specific
impulse exhaust or relatively high-thrust, low-specific impulse exhaust.[3]

Benefi and d a back of de ign

In contrast with usual cyclotron resonance heating processes, in VASIMR ions are immediately ejected through
the magnetic nozzle, before they have time to achieve thermalized distribution. Based on novel theoretical work
in 2004 by Arefiev and Breizman of UT-Austin, virtually all of the energy in the ion cyclotron wave is uniformly
transferred to ionized plasma in a single-pass cyclotron absorption process. This allows for ions to leave the
magnetic nozzle with a very narrow energy distribution, and for significantly simplified and compact magnet
arrangement in the engine.[3]

VASIMR does not use electrodes; instead it magnetically shields plasma from most of the hardware parts, thus
eliminating electrode erosion - a major source of wear and tear in ion engines. Compared to traditional rocket
engines with very complex plumbing, high performance valves, actuators and turbopumps, VASIMR eliminates
practically all moving parts from its design (apart from minor ones, like gas valves), maximizing its long term
durability.[citation needed]

However, some new problems emerge, like interaction with strong magnetic fields and thermal management.
The relatively large power at which VASIMR operates generates a lot of waste heat, which needs to be
channeled away without creating thermal overload and undue thermal stress on materials used. Powerful
superconducting electromagnets, employed to contain hot plasma, generate tesla-range magnetic fields.[4] They
can present problems with other on board devices and also can produce unwanted torque by interacting with
the magnetosphere. To counter this latter effect, the VF-200 will consist of two 100 kW thruster units packaged
together, with the magnetic field of each thruster oriented in opposite directions in order to make a zero-torque
magnetic quadrapole.[5]

Re ea ch and de elopmen
First VASIMR experiment was conducted at MIT starting in 1983 on the magnetic mirror plasma device.
Important refinements were introduced to the rocket concept in 1990s, including the use of the “helicon” plasma
source, which replaced the initial plasma gun originally envisioned and made the rocket completely
“electrodeless” an extremely desirable feature to assure reliability and long life. A new patent was granted in
2002.

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In 1995, the Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory (ASPL) was

founded at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston in the building of
Sonny Carter Training Facility. The magnetic mirror device was brought
from MIT. First plasma experiment in Houston was conducted using
microwave plasma source. The collaboration with University of Houston,
University of Texas at Austin, Rice University and other academic
institutions was established.

In 1998, the first helicon plasma experiment was performed at the ASPL.
The testing vacuum chamber,
The decision was made regarding the official name of VASIMR and
containing the 50 kW VASIMR,
VASIMR experiment (VX). VX-10 in 1998 ran up to 10 kW helicon
operated in ASPL in 2005 - 2006
discharge, VX-25 in 2002 ran up to 25 kW and VX-50 - up to 50 kW
of RF plasma discharge. In March, 2000, the VASIMR group was given
a Rotary National Award for Space Achievement / Stellar Award. By 2005 major breakthroughs were
obtained at the ASPL including full and efficient plasma production, and acceleration of the plasma ions in the
second stage of the rocket. The VASIMR engine model VX-50 proved to be capable of 0.5 newtons (0.1 lbf)
thrust.[6] Published data on the VX-50 engine, capable of processing 50 kW of total radio frequency power,
showed ICRF (second stage) efficiency to be 59% calculated as: 90% NA coupling efficiency 65% NB ion
speed boosting efficiency. It was hoped that the overall efficiency of the engine could be increased by scaling up
power levels.[6]

Ad Astra Rocket Company (AARC) was incorporated in Delaware on January 14, 2005. On June 23, 2005,
Ad Astra and NASA signed first Space Act Agreement to privatize the VASIMR Technology.[7] On July 8,
2005, Franklin Chang-Diaz retired from NASA after 25 years of service. Ad Astra’s Board of Directors was
formed and Dr. Chang Díaz took the helm as Chairman and CEO on July 15, 2005. In July 2006 AARC
opened the Costa Rica subsidiary in the city of Liberia at the campus of Earth University. In December 2006,
AARC-Costa Rica performed first plasma experiment on the VX-CR device utilizing helicon ionization of argon.

100 kW VASIMR experiment was successively running in 2007 and demonstrated efficient plasma production
with an ionization cost below 100 eV. VX-100 plasma output is tripled over the prior record of the VX-50. In
the same year, AARC moved out from NASA facility to its own building in Webster, TX.

Model VX-100 was expected to have the NB ion speed boosting efficiency of 80%.[8][9] There were, however,
additional (smaller) efficiency losses related to the conversion of DC electric current to radio frequency power
and also to the superconducting magnets' auxiliary equipment energy consumption. By comparison, 2009 state-
of-the-art, proven ion engine designs such as NASA's HiPEP operated at 80% total thruster/PPU energy
efficiency.[10]

De elopmen of he 200 kW engine

On October 24, 2008 the company announced that the plasma generation aspect of the VX-200 engine -
helicon first stage or solid-state high frequency power transmitter - had reached operational status. The key
enabling technology, solid-state DC-RF power-processing, has become very efficient reaching up to 98%
efficiency. The helicon discharge uses 30 kWe of radio waves to turn argon gas into plasma. The remaining
170 kWe of power is allocated for passing energy to, and acceleration of, plasma in the second part of the
engine via ion cyclotron resonance heating.[11]

Based on data released from previous VX-100 testing,[4] it was expected that the VX-200 engine would have a
system efficiency of 60–65% and thrust level of 5 N. Optimal specific impulse appeared to be around 5,000s
using low cost argon propellant. One of the remaining untested issues was potential vs actual thrust; that is,
whether the hot plasma actually detached from the rocket. Another issue is waste heat management. About 60%
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of input energy ends up as useful kinetic energy. A large portion of the remaining 40% will be secondary
ionizations cost from plasma crossing magnetic field lines and exhaust divergence. A significant portion of that
40% would end up as waste heat (see energy conversion efficiency). Managing and rejecting that waste heat is
critical to allowing for continuous operation of the VASIMR engine.[12]

Between April and September 2009, tests were

performed on the VX-200 prototype with fully
integrated 2 tesla superconducting magnets. They
successfully expanded the power range of the VASIMR
up to its full operational capability of 200 kW.[13]

During November 2010, long duration, full power firing

tests were performed with the VX-200 engine reaching
the steady state operation for 25 seconds thus validating
basic design characteristics.[14]

Results presented to NASA and academia in January

VX-200 plasma at full power both stages and full
2011 have confirmed that the design point for optimal
magnetic field
efficiency on the VX-200 is 50 km/s exhaust velocity, or
an Isp of 5000 s. Based on these data, thruster
efficiency of 72% has been achieved by Ad Astra,[15] yielding an overall system efficiency (DC electricity to
thruster power) of 60% (since the DC to RF power conversion efficiency exceeds 95%) with Argon as the
propellant.[16]

Te ing on he pace a ion

On December 8, 2008, Ad Astra signed an agreement with NASA to arrange the placement and testing of a
flight version of the VASIMR, the VF-200, on the International Space Station (ISS).[17] As of June 2012, its
launch is anticipated to be in 2015,[18] the Antares rocket has been reported as the "top contender" for the
launch vehicle.[19] Since the available power from the ISS is less than 200 kW, the ISS VASIMR will include a
trickle-charged battery system allowing for 15 min pulses of thrust.

Testing of the engine on ISS is valuable because it orbits at a relatively low altitude and experiences fairly high
levels of atmospheric drag, making periodic boosts of altitude necessary. Currently, altitude reboosting by
chemical rockets fulfills this requirement. The VASIMR test on the ISS is expected to lead to a capability of
maintaining the ISS or a similar space station in a stable orbit at 1/20th of the approximately $210 million/year
present estimated cost.[7]

VF-200

The VF-200 flight-rated thruster consists of two 100 kW VASIMR units with opposite magnetic dipoles so that
no net rotational torque is applied to the space station when the thrusters are firing. The VF-200-1 is the first
flight unit and will be tested in space attached to the ISS.[5]

NASA pa ne hip

In June 2005, Ad Astra signed its first Space Act Agreement with NASA which led to the development of the
VASIMR engine. In December 10, 2007, AARC and NASA signed an Umbrella Space Act Agreement
relating to the space agency’s potential interest in the VASIMR, providing a framework for collaboration
between the parties, setting out the general conditions governing aspects of their ongoing relationship.[20] In
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December 8, 2008, NASA and AARC entered into a Space Act Agreement that could lead to conducting a
space flight test of the VASIMR on the ISS.[21] In March 2, 2011, Ad Astra and NASA Johnson Space
Center have signed a Support Agreement to collaborate on research, analysis and development tasks on space-
based cryogenic magnet operations and electric propulsion systems currently under development by Ad
Astra.[22] As of February 2011, NASA had 100 people assigned to the project to work with Ad Astra to
integrate the VF-200 onto the space station.[19]

Po en ial f e applica ion

VASIMR is not suitable to launch payloads from the surface of the Earth due to its low thrust-to-weight ratio
and its need of a vacuum to operate. Instead, it would function as an upper stage for cargo, reducing the fuel
requirements for in-space transportation. The engine is expected to perform the following functions at a fraction
of the cost of chemical technologies:

drag compensation for space stations

lunar cargo delivery
satellite repositioning
satellite refueling, maintenance and repair
in space resource recovery
ultra fast deep space robotic missions

Other applications for VASIMR such as the rapid transportation of people to Mars would require a very high
power, low mass energy source, such as a nuclear reactor (see nuclear electric rocket). NASA Administrator
Charles Bolden said that VASIMR technology could be the breakthrough technology that would reduce the
travel time on a Mars mission from 2.5 years to 5 months.[23]

In August 2008, Tim Glover, Ad Astra director of development, publicly stated that the first expected
application of VASIMR engine is "hauling things [non-human cargo] from low-Earth orbit to low-lunar orbit"
supporting NASA's return to Moon efforts.[24]

U e a a pace g o o bi al an fe ehicle

The most important near-future application of VASIMR-powered spacecraft is transportation of cargo.

Numerous studies have shown that, despite longer transit times, VASIMR-powered spacecraft will be much
more efficient than traditional integrated chemical rockets at moving goods through space. An orbital transfer
vehicle (OTV) — essentially a "space tug" — powered by a single VF-200 engine would be capable of
transporting about 7 metric tons of cargo from low Earth orbit (LEO) to low Lunar orbit (LLO) with about a six
month transit time. NASA envisages delivering about 34 metric tons of useful cargo to LLO in a single flight with
a chemically propelled vehicle. To make that trip, about 60 metric tons of LOX-LH2 propellant would be
burned. A comparable OTV would need to employ 5 VF-200 engines powered by a 1 MW solar array. To do
the same job, such OTV would need to expend only about 8 metric tons of argon propellant. Total mass of such
electric OTV would be in the range of 49 t (outbound & return fuel: 9 t, hardware: 6 t, cargo 34 t). The OTV
transit times can be reduced by carrying lighter loads and/or expending more argon propellant with VASIMR
throttled down to lower Isp . For instance, an empty OTV on the return trip to Earth covers the distance in about
23 days at optimal specific impulse of 5,000 s (50 kN·s/kg) or in about 14 days at Isp of 3,000 s (30 kN·s/kg).
The total mass of the NASA specs' OTV (including structure, solar array, fuel tank, avionics, propellant and
cargo) was assumed to be 100 metric tons (98.4 long tons; 110 short tons)[25] allowing almost double the cargo
capacity compared to chemically propelled vehicle but requiring even bigger solar arrays (or other source of
power) capable of providing 2 MW.

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As of October 2010, Ad Astra Rocket Company is working toward utilizing VASIMR technology for space
tug missions to help "clean up the ever-growing problem of space trash." They hope to have a first-generation
commercial offering by 2014.[26]

C i ici m of VASIMR
Robert Zubrin is critical of the VASIMR claiming that it is less efficient than other electric based thrusters which
are now operational. Zubrin also believes that electric propulsion is not necessary to get to Mars and therefore
budgets should not be assigned to develop it. His second point of criticism concentrates on the lack of a suitable
power source.[27] Ad Astra subsequently responded to the criticism.[28]

See al o
Electrodeless plasma thruster
Helicon Double Layer Thruster
Magnetoplasmadynamic thruster
Ion thruster
Pulsed plasma thruster
Solar panels on spacecraft
Spacecraft propulsion
List of plasma (physics) articles
Nano-particle field extraction thruster

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(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRS26DcQhq0) . Ad Astra Rocket Company.
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16. ^ Glover, Tim (January 19, 2011). "VASIMR VX-200 Performance and Near-term SEP Capability for
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17. ^ Trinidad, Katherine (December 17, 2008). "NASA Administrator Hails Agreement with Ad Astra"
(http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-332_VASMIR_engine.html) (Press release). NASA.gov.
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18. ^ Carreau, Mark (2012-06-06). "Ad Astra Eyes SpaceX Commercial Model For Deep Space"
(http://www.aviationnow.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_06_06_2012_p0-465042.xml) . Aviation week.
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(http://www.hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=27038) .
http://www.hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=27038. Retrieved February 8, 2011. "About 100 NASA
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(http://www.adastrarocket.com/AdAstraPressRelease030811.pdf) . Ad Astra (Press Release). March 8, 2011.
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Additional resources

Chang-Díaz, Franklin R (November 2000). "The VASIMR Rocket"

(http://www.adastrarocket.com/SciAm2000.pdf) . Scientific American.
http://www.adastrarocket.com/SciAm2000.pdf. Retrieved November 16, 2009.
"Agreement to Commercialize Advanced NASA Rocket Concept; Former Astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz to
Lead Effort" (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/news/releases/2006/J06-009.html) (Press release). Johnson
Space Center. January 23, 2006. J06-009. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/news/releases/2006/J06-
009.html. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
"Plasma rocket breaks endurance record" (http://space.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn12064) . Reuters via
New Scientist. August 14, 2007. http://space.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn12064. Retrieved January 18,
2008.
Naone, Erica (September 25, 2007). "Rocket scientist Franklin Chang Diaz talks about finding the power and
propulsion required to colonize space" (http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/19427/) . Technology
Review. http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/19427/. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
Upson, Sandra (June 2009). "Rockets For The Red Planet" (http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/space-
flight/rockets-for-the-red-planet/0) . IEEE Spectrum. http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/space-
flight/rockets-for-the-red-planet/0. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
Grossman, Lisa (July 24, 2009). "Ion engine could one day power 39-day trips to Mars"
(http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17476-ion-engine-could-one-day-power-39day-trips-to-mars.html?
full=true) . New Scientist. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17476-ion-engine-could-one-day-power-
39day-trips-to-mars.html?full=true. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
Shiga, David (October 5, 2009). "Rocket company tests world's most powerful ion engine"
(http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17918-rocket-company-tests-worlds-most-powerful-ion-engine.html?
full=true) . New Scientist. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17918-rocket-company-tests-worlds-most-
powerful-ion-engine.html?full=true. Retrieved February 27, 2010.

E e nal link
Ad Astra Rocket Company (http://www.adastrarocket.com/)
Comparison of rocket technologies (http://www.adastrarocket.com/aarc/Technology) at
Adastrarocket.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Specific_Impulse_Magnetoplasma_Rocket 8/9
10/6/12 Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket - Wikipedia, the free enc clopedia

"Plasma Rocket" (http://science.discovery.com/videos/brink-package-plasma-rocket.html) (Video).

Brink. Science. December 18, 2008.

NASA documents

Technical Paper: Rapid Mars Transits with Exhaust-Modulated Plasma Propulsion (PDF)
(http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/_techrep/TP-1995-3539.pdf)
Variable-Specific-Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (Tech Brief)
(http://www.techbriefs.com/content/view/1768/32/1/0/)
Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory: VASIMR
(http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/support/researching/aspl/vasimr.html)
Propulsion Systems of the Future
(http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/travelinginspace/future_propulsion.html)

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