VASIMR

A Survey of Missions using VASIMR^® for Flexible Space Exploration

Document Number:  JSC-65825                                                                    April 2010

Prepared by:  Andrew V. Llin, Leonard D. Cassady, Tim W. Glover, Mark D. Carter, and Franklin R. Chang Díaz

(Summary by Ken Ruffin)

Ad Astra Rocket Company (AARC), headquartered near Houston, TX, is a spaceflight engineering company dedicated to the development of advanced plasma rocket propulsion technology.  The company is developing the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR^®) and its associated technologies.

Dr. Franklin R. Chang Díaz serves as company President and CEO.  Dr. Chang Díaz invented the VASIMR^® concept and has been working on its development since 1979.  Dr. Chang Díaz is a retired NASA Space Shuttle astronaut.¹

Ad Astra’s Vision:

To revolutionize space transportation and exploration, through the development and commercialization of the VASIMR^® engine and related technologies.²

Mission Statement:

Presently, the company’s main objective is to bring the VASIMR^® engine to full operational deployment in space, a goal planned for late 2013.  The engine could be initially operated in a number of developing market applications in Earth orbit, including drag compensation of orbiting space stations and satellite delivery, repositioning and general servicing.  Later, the VASIMR^® is expected to provide primary propulsion for cargo and supply missions to the Moon and ultimately ready access to space resources, including asteroids and comets and to support robotic and human missions to Mars and beyond.³

VASIMR^® Proposed Missions

The VASIMR^® document summarized here describes several options for robotic – and crewed – lunar and interplanetary missions, defined as Flexible Mission Strategies.  Such missions, using chemical (liquid fueled) or ion propulsion have been envisioned for decades.  However, VASIMR^® is able to achieve dramatic propellant mass savings to move payloads near Earth and preposition payloads for assembly near the moon, the edge of Earth’s gravitational sphere of influence, and beyond.⁴ Five different types of software were used to analyze and compare ‘rocket science’ variables such as propellant usage, total specific mass (≤10 kg/kW), and specific impulse.  The missions are listed in order of increasing power requirements and/or distance.  All proposed missions begin in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), and all missions assume a VASIMR^® power efficiency of 60%.  Those missions, and the associated power requirements, maximum specific impulse, maximum payload, argon propellant mass, and travel times are as follows:

Summary of VASIMR^® Proposed Missions⁴

Note:  italicized data were either calculated or estimated, based on data provided within the report.

As described above, Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR^®) technologies offer a wide variety of propulsion options for the transfer of robotic payloads and/or cargo from LEO to the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter , as well as certain asteroids & comets.  Additionally, crewed missions to Mars using current technology are expected to take 90-115 days one-way.  With expected technological advances reducing the total vehicle and/or engine mass, “one-way trips to Mars lasting less than 39 days are even conceivable . . . .”⁴

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^{1, 2, 3} from http://www.adastrarocket.com/aarc/

⁴ “A Survey of Missions using VASIMR^® for Flexible Space Exploration”, pp. 1-24.