Everyone knows our rocket technology sucks big time. How can we expect to go exploring the stars if we can't even efficiently move around the Solar System? Well, science and technology have begun catching up to our imaginations.
Scientists at MIT have developed the Mini-Helicon Plasma Thruster, a propulsion system that produces ten times as much thrust as current rocket technologies using nitrogen instead of oxygen and hydrogen.
Although it would seem like we have an abundance of oxygen and hydrogen to burn in our rockets, two-thirds of our atmosphere consists of nitrogen. We'll be able to produce nitrogen fuels more efficiently than oxygen and hydrogen fuels.
We've only just introduced an Ion Propulsion System which is being used by the Dawn interplanetary exploratory spacecraft. Dawn's Ion drive is actually faster than the chemical rockets we've been using to fling stuff around the Solar System. It sounds like the Plasma drive will be even faster.
Maybe using a hybrid Plasma/Ion drive we'll be able to conduct space missions to the edge of the Solar System and develop a more efficient interplanetary transportation technology -- perhaps even one capable of supporting space colonies.
There is a slight long-term impact on our atmosphere. If we launched 1,000 nitrogen-burning rockets every day, we would gradually reduce our atmosphere, although most scientists would probably argue that we'll have an even more efficient propulsion system long before any significant harm comes of fueling 1,000 rockets a day.
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