A new plasma rocket design underwent thorough testing and eventually broke the endurance record for its class, and could provide the next generation of propulsion systems for future space missions.

Plasma propulsion engines use accelerated plasma for propulsion. Though far less powerful than conventional atmospheric rocket engines, plasma engines are able to operate at higher efficiencies and for longer periods of time, and are better suited for long-distance inter-planetary space travel missions

The manufacturers of the rocket, Ad Astra Rocket Company, said they hope this type of rocket will soon become cheaper to operate than conventional models and will reduce travel time for space missions.

It works by tearing electrons from hydrogen atoms to produce the ionized gas, and then by propelling them in an electric field, which accelerates the plasma and expels it out of the back of the engine at high speeds, a process which is reflected in the overall high speed of the craft equipped with this type of engine.

One technique, called variable specific impulse magnetoplasma rocket (VASIMR) is a form of spacecraft propulsion that uses radio waves and magnetic fields to accelerate a propellant, and current designs can produce specific impulses ranging from 10 to 300, but only four hours of continuous flight.

Currently, there are hundreds of plasma thrusters in use, most of them used on satellites for stationkeeping. Plasma thrusters have also been used for deep space missions, including Deep Space 1, which demonstrated continuous firing of a xenon gridded ion thruster for 25,000 hours (almost three years straight), but VASMIR is unique because it has a much lower Isp and a much higher thrust than conventional plasma/electric propulsion devices, which increases the operational envelope of electric propulsion devices.

One of the advantages of this rocket is the fact that it can accelerate continuously, unlike conventional rockets, that generate all their thrust in the first few minutes of a mission and then coast to their destination.

There are significant challenges ahead, the space ships of the future, equipped with these engines, would experience greatly reduced travel times and could also provide a low level of artificial gravity for astronauts, while using hydrogen as fuel, common throughout the universe, and available for harvesting en route.