Remember,
there is a long way to go here since Ad Astra’s Vasimr engine is just one part
of the complete spacecraft that could ultimately take astronauts to Mars. Researchers are still required to figure out the type of spacecraft astronauts would travel in.
The
revolutionary engine uses plasma as a propellant and is developed by Texas-based company Ad Astra. The engine hit the headlines a couple of years ago when
sources showed that this groundbreaking engine could decrease the trip to Mars
from months to weeks. The only downside if there is one is that the engine needs
a Nuclear power source.
In
2013, the company finished the testing of the first prototype.
"We are thrilled by this declaration and proud to be joining forces with NASA in the final phases of the technology maturation. We look forward to a very fruitful partnership as we together advance the technology to flight readiness." said Dr Franklin Chang Diaz, Ad Astra’s Chairman and CEO, in a statement.
This
is just one of the many technologies presently in development that will let
NASA explore and colonize space in a much more efficient manner. ‘Commercial partners were chosen for their
technical capability of maturing key technologies and their commitment to the
potential applications both for government and private sector uses,’ said
William Gerstenmaier, assistant administrator for Human Exploration and Operations
at NASA Headquarters.
‘This work eventually will inform the strategy to move human existence further into the solar system.’