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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Tac on February 26, 2010, 01:02:01 PM

Title: Mars in 39 day trip: Potential new propulsion for spacecraft - in development
Post by: Tac on February 26, 2010, 01:02:01 PM
Hellz YEAH  :O  :cheers:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100226/sc_afp/usspacenasamars
Title: t
Post by: Strip on February 26, 2010, 01:27:06 PM
Wow, this technology is not very new, certainly anything of this power level is cutting edge though.

I wonder if its solar or nuclear powered?

Strip
Title: Re: Mars in 39 day trip:
Post by: soda72 on February 26, 2010, 01:37:47 PM
Well it certainly would make traveling within our own solar system much more feasible...
Title: Re: Mars in 39 day trip: Potential new propulsion for spacecraft
Post by: APDrone on February 26, 2010, 02:28:10 PM
 :O

Substances at 10million degrees+  being manipulated and directed by magnetic fields??

"This is your captain speaking.. Don't even THINK of using an electronic device during the duration of this flight.."

Title: Re: Mars in 39 day trip
Post by: batch on February 26, 2010, 02:28:35 PM
its a real shame that the primary mission for NASA has been changed from space to proving global warming
Title: Re: Mars in 39 day trip: Potential new propulsion for spacecraft
Post by: Tupac on February 26, 2010, 02:28:54 PM
:O

Substances at 10million degrees+  being manipulated and directed by magnetic fields??

"This is your captain speaking.. Don't even THINK of using an electronic device during the duration of this flight.."



LOL
Title: RE:Mars in 39 day trip...
Post by: Chalenge on February 26, 2010, 04:08:10 PM
VASIMR technology is also a relatively fragile system that could quickly end the lives of the astronauts on the mission should a high speed particle hit the engine since 60% of its length is critical to safe operation. You could not have school teachers on that ride!
Title: Mars in 39 day trip: Potential new propulsion for spacecraft - in development
Post by: trax1 on February 26, 2010, 05:35:03 PM
Yeah NASA has been tinkering around with this type of technology for awhile now, it's basically an Ion propulsion engine, they've already tested one on a space probe called "Deep Space 1".  You can read more about them here,

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/fs08grc.html (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/fs08grc.html)
Title: Re: RE:Mars in 39 day trip...
Post by: Strip on February 26, 2010, 10:42:54 PM
VASIMR technology is also a relatively fragile system that could quickly end the lives of the astronauts on the mission should a high speed particle hit the engine since 60% of its length is critical to safe operation. You could not have school teachers on that ride!

It would be no more at risk than any other type of propulsion system, if anything it would be less at risk. Nearly the entire length of the Apollo was critical to fulfilling its mission goals.

I do wonder how the computers will operate near such a highly magnetic device though.....

Strip
Title: Re: RE:Mars in 39 day trip...
Post by: trax1 on February 26, 2010, 10:50:07 PM
I do wonder how the computers will operate near such a highly magnetic device though.....

Strip
I'm sure they'd have some kind of shielding, I mean it didn't effect the computers on-board the Deep Space 1 probe, and that used an Ion engine which had powerful magnets.
Title: Mars in 39 day trip...
Post by: Strip on February 26, 2010, 11:24:08 PM
I hear what your saying but Deep Space 1 propulsion was magnitudes smaller than what this might entail.

I will be hoping for progression with this new system in the near future!

 :cheers:

Strip
Title: Re: Ma
Post by: mensa180 on February 26, 2010, 11:40:48 PM
Don't use magnetic hard drives.

Probably showing my ignorance of the subject here :).
Title: Re: RE:Mars in 39 day trip...
Post by: Chalenge on February 27, 2010, 12:30:53 AM
It would be no more at risk than any other type of propulsion system, if anything it would be less at risk. Nearly the entire length of the Apollo was critical to fulfilling its mission goals.

I do wonder how the computers will operate near such a highly magnetic device though.....

Strip

The Apollo engines were of limited duration but you made my point anyway even if I didnt state it loudly enough... The era of the original astronauts really being pioneers of space and requiring the 'right stuff' will return with this type of space craft.
Title: Mars in 39 day trip: Potential new propulsion for spacecraft - in development
Post by: Heater on February 27, 2010, 07:14:47 AM
link to one of the images of the VX-200 prototype VASLMR engine

http://chattahbox.com/images/2009/10/vasimr-system.jpg
Title: Re: Mars in 39 day trip: Potential new propulsion for spacecraft
Post by: RTHolmes on February 27, 2010, 08:29:57 AM
not exactly new, heres an ion thruster engine from ... 1959! :D

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Ion_Engine_Being_Installed_in_High_Vacuum_Tank_-_GPN-2000-000597.jpg/269px-Ion_Engine_Being_Installed_in_High_Vacuum_Tank_-_GPN-2000-000597.jpg)
Title: Re: Mars in 39 day trip
Post by: Meatwad on February 27, 2010, 08:32:07 AM
link to one of the images of the VX-200 prototype VASLMR engine

http://chattahbox.com/images/2009/10/vasimr-system.jpg

Holy supersize, batman!
Title: Re: RE:Mars in 39 day trip...
Post by: Strip on February 27, 2010, 09:55:15 AM
The Apollo engines were of limited duration but you made my point anyway even if I didnt state it loudly enough... The era of the original astronauts really being pioneers of space and requiring the 'right stuff' will return with this type of space craft.

I would venture to say the fourteen astronauts that died riding the Space Shuttle would disagree with you. Granted the Space Shuttle hasn't done much pioneering when compared to the Apollo program.

The 'right stuff' is required at all times in this line of work regardless though.....

Strip
Title: Re: Mars in 39 day trip: ...
Post by: Chalenge on February 27, 2010, 01:51:47 PM
Well now that we are approaching the retirement of the shuttles they are more dangerous anyway. But in the case you point out it was just stupid for them to go ahead with that launch. In hindsight no one would disagree. The VASIMR engine though will ALWAYS require nerves of steel and stones as big as a house.
Title: Re: TOO MANY CHARACTERS? WTHeck?
Post by: FYB on February 27, 2010, 03:12:17 PM
Hopefully we can fix the acceleration of Global Warming. It's Earth's life cycle but we are speeding it up VERY fast.
Title: Re: TOO MANY CHARACTERS? WTHeck?
Post by: Motherland on February 27, 2010, 06:35:27 PM
Hopefully we can fix the acceleration of Global Warming. It's Earth's life cycle but we are speeding it up VERY fast.
I'm looking at this post and your signature and it's saturated in irony right now.
Title: Lover boy
Post by: Denholm on February 27, 2010, 07:12:57 PM
If the developer is who I think he is, the guy loves original Star Trek episodes.
Title: Re: Mars in 39 day trip: ...
Post by: Strip on February 27, 2010, 07:17:22 PM
Well now that we are approaching the retirement of the shuttles they are more dangerous anyway. But in the case you point out it was just stupid for them to go ahead with that launch. In hindsight no one would disagree. The VASIMR engine though will ALWAYS require nerves of steel and stones as big as a house.


What part of riding the Space Shuttle doesn't test your nerves and bravery at all times?

You realize how many critical systems are signed off as good enough? The first few missions had over 150 critical parts with known failure modes and deficiencies capable of ending the flight with a single failure.

Strip
Title: Re: TOO MANY CHARACTERS? WTHeck?
Post by: trax1 on February 27, 2010, 11:04:27 PM
I'm looking at this post and your signature and it's saturated in irony right now.
:rofl
Title: Re: TOO MANY CHARACTERS? WTHeck?
Post by: 4deck on February 28, 2010, 12:13:28 PM
I'm looking at this post and your signature and it's saturated in irony right now.

True  :aok
Title: Re: TOO MANY CHARACTERS? WTHeck?
Post by: Reaper90 on February 28, 2010, 01:47:45 PM
Hopefully we can fix the acceleration of Global Warming. It's Earth's life cycle but we are speeding it up VERY fast.

 :huh

looking for the link to my facepalm picture..... 
Title: Re: Mars in 39 day trip
Post by: MORAY37 on February 28, 2010, 03:57:20 PM
its a real shame that the primary mission for NASA has been changed from space to proving global warming
Prove this statement....in a different thread though. 

Sweet take on an old idea with the ion drive.
Title: Mars in 39 day trip: Potential new propulsion for spacecraft - in development
Post by: FYB on February 28, 2010, 09:29:54 PM
Haters...  :devil