HASSE students visit AD ASTRA Rocket Company

On August 8, 2017, HASSE Senior Space School Students had an incredible onsite learning experience
at Ad Astra Rocket Company on the advancement of the VASIMR, or the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket engine.

Our students participated in the presentation of Ad Astra Rocket company’s plasma engine progress
and had a rare opportunity to witness the amazing continuous testing conducted in the vacuum chamber.
Ad Astra’s engineer, gave our group a detailed background and vision of Ad Astra and the progress of the VASIMR engine.
The establishment of Ad Astra focuses on the research and advancement of space transportation with the VASIMR engine.
Through rigorous standards in research and testing at Ad Astra,
the upcoming goal is to continuously test the plasma engine for up to 10 hours, this is truly a significant milestone.
This rare opportunity to witness the core vision through translation of research and testing made our visit to Ad Astra extremely memorable.
Our students not only were thrilled to witness the current testing done in the vacuum chamber,
but also felt the excitement of future space transportation and aspired to be involved of something greater to come in the future.

Students listened to the presentation with enthusiasm
and showed great interest as they asked questions on the progress and testing of the VASIMR engine.
Lunch with one of the newest engineers on board at Ad Astra’s rocket company concluded this rare learning opportunity.
Our students were able to draw upon their prior knowledge and activate their imagination as they discussed with engineers
on topics that ranged from aerospace engineering to different types of college courses the engineers took when they were in college,
in order to prep them for research and advancement of space related engine development at Ad Astra.