VASIMR VX-200 Cuts Trip To Mars From 6 Months To 39 Days
These videos show the VASIMR VX-200–the worlds hotest, most powerful space ship engine–being tested in a vacuum chamber. One of the best achievements of the VASIMR is that the plasma engine will make a huge cut in fuel consumption required for space travel. Currently 7.5 tons of propellant are used each year in the shuttle and other spaceships. With the VASIMR that will be cut down to 0.3 tons.
The engine is also much faster. So fast that instead of the current 6 months it would take us to get to Mars it would only take roughly 39 days.
The VASIMR will be tested at the International Space Station in 2013.
finally. cause i can’t take a whole year off just to go to mars. I’ll run out of vacation pay before i even get close.