Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket - Potential Future Applications

Potential Future Applications

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.

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