Uploaded April 2009 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
This is one test firing in a series of experiments with the VASIMR VX-200 plasma rocket prototype. The rocket's 1st stage (a Helicon plasma source) was fired at 30 kW using a state-of-the-art solid state RF power supply, and the rocket's 2nd stage was fired at 144 kW using a second solid state RF power supply. Argon gas was used as the propellant, and gives a distinctive purple/blue/UV glow. The second half of the video is slowed down to 1/10 speed during the firing of the second stage.
The plasma diagnostics that can be seen in this video are situated on an x-y motion stage capable of moving side to side 200cm and in an out 500cm with 0.5mm precision. The diagnostic suite was moved to a close approach in front of the rocket's plasma exhaust. Because of the extreme temperatures and heating within the plasma exhaust, the diagnostics are all constructed out of refractory metals, high temperature ceramics, or graphite (or all three). The rocket and everything else seen in this video is located within a vacuum chamber, used to simulate the vacuum environment of space.
The VX-200 is the precursor to the VF-200, a flight demonstration unit that is intended to fly on the International Space Station (ISS). nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-332_VASMIR_engine.html
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This is one test firing in a series of experiments with the VASIMR VX-200 plasma rocket prototype. The rocket's 1st stage (a Helicon plasma source) was fired at 30 kW using a state-of-the-art solid state RF power supply, and the rocket's 2nd stage was fired at 144 kW using a second solid state RF power supply. Argon gas was used as the propellant, and gives a distinctive purple/blue/UV glow. The second half of the video is slowed down to 1/10 speed during the firing of the second stage.
The plasma diagnostics that can be seen in this video are situated on an x-y motion stage capable of moving side to side 200cm and in an out 500cm with 0.5mm precision. The diagnostic suite was moved to a close approach in front of the rocket's plasma exhaust. Because of the extreme temperatures and heating within the plasma exhaust, the diagnostics are all constructed out of refractory metals, high temperature ceramics, or graphite (or all three). The rocket and everything else seen in this video is located within a vacuum chamber, used to simulate the vacuum environment of space.
The VX-200 is the precursor to the VF-200, a flight demonstration unit that is intended to fly on the International Space Station (ISS). nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-332_VASMIR_engine.html
adastrarocket.com
![Drinking Water in Zero-G [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/d2gdCLuXpgs/mqdefault.jpg "Drinking Water in Zero-G [HD]
How to Drink Water in ZeroG
Due to its unusually large surface tension, water will tend to form relatively large spheres in a microgravity environment when expelled from a container. In this case, the water droplet size was largely determined by the size of the water bottle opening. Even though the droplets are put into motion and are spinning, they more or less stay together in one contiguous sphere (until eaten of course). This footage was filmed with GoPros HD Hero, which provided an ideal wide angle view of the research airplane in these close quarters.
Dr. Don Pettit performed many more science outreach experiments with water during his space station stay:
/watch?v=bgC-ocnTTto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Properties_of_water")
