Big news from the Ad Astra Rocket Company on their VASIMR engine. They have completed their first full power test in a vacuum chamber in Houston, TX.
The VASIMR engine is slated for use on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2013 for the purpose of orbital adjustments to correct for atmospheric drag.
Eventually, this technology could be used to have spacecraft reach Mars in less than 40 days. No doubt this is a game changer when it comes to manned exploration of the solar system and beyond. In the near term, it will save millions in fuel costs since the mass of fuel required to be put into orbit will be significantly reduced for the ISS and other deep space probes.
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