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Vasimr Prototype Makes New Strides
HOUSTON — Ad Astra Rocket Co., led by former NASA astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz, reports new strides in the performance of its experimental 200-kw. Variable Specific Impulse Magneto-plasma Rocket (Vasimr), the VX-200, which the company is developing as a commercial propulsion source for a range of future deep space and possible near-Earth missions.
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Earlier this week, Ad Astra completed a six-month round of testing in which it dramatically improved the timing and performance of the startup of the VX-200’s 30-kw. first stage. Other testing in the company’s large vacuum chamber verified efficiencies of greater than 50% in the conversion of electricity to thrust through 112 kw., with combined first- and second-stage operations.
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During follow-on testing over the first six months of this year, Ad Astra reduced the first-stage startup time from 6 sec. to 60 millisec. At the same time, engineers improved the success rate of the ignition process from 50% to 99% through characterizations of the electronic circuitry and software adjustments.
The latest round of testing mapped the efficiency of dual-stage operations through 112 kw. at 55%, closely matching predictions. “Anything over 50 percent is good,†Chang-Diaz says.
The efficiency predictions climb to 60% at 200 kw., or full thrust.
>
HOUSTON — Ad Astra Rocket Co., led by former NASA astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz, reports new strides in the performance of its experimental 200-kw. Variable Specific Impulse Magneto-plasma Rocket (Vasimr), the VX-200, which the company is developing as a commercial propulsion source for a range of future deep space and possible near-Earth missions.
>
Earlier this week, Ad Astra completed a six-month round of testing in which it dramatically improved the timing and performance of the startup of the VX-200’s 30-kw. first stage. Other testing in the company’s large vacuum chamber verified efficiencies of greater than 50% in the conversion of electricity to thrust through 112 kw., with combined first- and second-stage operations.
>
During follow-on testing over the first six months of this year, Ad Astra reduced the first-stage startup time from 6 sec. to 60 millisec. At the same time, engineers improved the success rate of the ignition process from 50% to 99% through characterizations of the electronic circuitry and software adjustments.
The latest round of testing mapped the efficiency of dual-stage operations through 112 kw. at 55%, closely matching predictions. “Anything over 50 percent is good,†Chang-Diaz says.
The efficiency predictions climb to 60% at 200 kw., or full thrust.
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