VASIMR VX-200SS
A plasma rocket engine that uses radio waves to heat gas such as argon into plasma and push it out with magnets. Ad Astra says it can deliver about 10 times the performance of a chemical rocket on a tenth of the fuel.
Why it matters
Moving heavy cargo or people to the Moon, Mars and beyond takes huge amounts of propellant with chemical rockets. A high-power plasma engine could haul cargo much more efficiently, and paired with a nuclear power source it could shorten trips across the solar system.
How the technology works
VASIMR (Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket) ionizes a gas with radio-frequency energy, heats the resulting plasma further with a second radio-frequency stage, then directs it out of a magnetic nozzle to produce thrust. There are no electrodes touching the plasma, which helps engine life.
The VX-200SS prototype has fired at 100 kW on argon in Ad Astra's 150 cubic meter vacuum chamber in Texas, reaching technology readiness level 5 according to the company.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction