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A look at the future;<br /><br />http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/fs22grc.html<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Glenn is currently developing high-specific-impulse, megawatt-class, hydrogen-fueled MPD thruster technology. Research at Glenn encompasses a combination of systems analysis, numerical modeling, and high-power experiments that investigate pulsed versions of both self-field and applied-field MPD thrusters. Testing for these thrusters has demonstrated exhaust velocities of 100,000 meters per second (over 200,000 mph) and thrust levels of 100 Newtons (22.5 pounds) at power levels of 1 megawatt. For perspective, this exhaust velocity will allow a spacecraft to travel roughly 11 times the top speed of the space shuttle (18,000 mph).<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote> <br />By comparison Deep Space One developed 92 millinewtons (~1/3 ounce) of thrust. <br /><br />They operate best at very high power, most likely fueled by a nuclear reactor in actual practice.<br /><br />Below the megawatt MPD thruster @ Glenn <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>