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Recently scientists demonstrated a small-scale prototype of a rocket with an engine that uses charged particles. With their latest invention researchers hope in the near future to build rockets that could carry out fast missions to the red planet. In addition, the ion engine might help maintain the orbit of the ISS over the next 5 years.
Scientists from Ad Astra Rocket Company of Webster, Texas, have been improving their latest invention, called VASIMR (Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket) since 2005. Their engine takes advantage of radio waves in order to heat argon gas, thus transforming it into hot plasma. Then magnetic fields shoot the superheated plasma out of the rocket's engine, generating thrust in the opposite direction.
The propellant is shot out at a higher speed compared to engines used today, thus creating more acceleration per kilogram of fuel burnt. Soon scientists look forward to use a 200-kilowatt VASIMR engine to make periodic boosts to the ISS orbit.
Recently the team for the first time tested their latest invention at full power in a vacuum chamber in Houston. Researchers ran the VX-200 engine at 201 kilowatts, for the first time being able to exceed the 200-kilowatt mark. "It's the most powerful plasma rocket in the world right now," outlined Franklin Chang-Diaz, head of Ad Astra Rocket Company and former NASA astronaut.
The company signed an agreement with NASA to carry out trials of its 200-kilowatt VASIMR engine on the International Space Station in 2013. Ad Astra Rocket Company is also in talks with SpaceX and Orbital Sciences, regarding the possibility of bringing their latest invention to the ISS on one of the launch vehicles. In case the tests prove to be successful, the company will be able to perform commercial flights to the ISS starting with 2010.
The latest invention from Ad Astra Rocket Company would allow bringing humans to the red planet in just 39 days. It is worth mentioning that using conventional engines it might take about 6 months to perform the same mission. It is also possible that future trips to Mars would be profitable for the company. More information about the project is available here.

A team of engineers from North Carolina State University, led by Jagdish "Jay" Narayan, director of the National Science Foundation Center for Advanced Materials and Smart Structures, managed to develop a finger-nail size chip that can store one terabyte of information. Their latest invention is a nanostructured Ni-MgO System with a capacity of 20 HD DVDs.
At the nanoscale level, the university researchers added metal nickel to magnesium oxide. The material they received featured clusters of nickel atoms that measured less than 10 sq nm; for comparison - a pinhead has 1 million nm in diameter.
With their latest invention, engineers managed to cut the size of the chip by 90 percent. In addition, the new process, called selective doping, could also help boost fuel economy in cars and lead to more efficient production of energy through a significantly reduction of the heat generated by semiconductors, reports ComputerWorld.
The method of selective doping involves the adding of an impurity to a material with consequently changing properties. It would make it possible to create a new generation of ceramic engines that could resist twice the temperatures of conventional engines. According to Narayan, engines might show a fuel economy of 80 miles per gallon

If you like this invention you can vote for it here.Having the goal of making the process of learning music more fun, Jonas Heuer and Jurgen Graef decided to create this Noteput. Their latest invention combines three senses - hearing, touch and sight.
The Noteput includes a tabletop screen that shows a set of staves as soon as a physical tremble clef is put on it. After that the user can place several physical notes on the screen with the value of the note shown at the bottom of the display. When the user places the physical notes on the screen and pushes the play button, these notes start playing. Thus children can learn much more effectively the music theory, being provided both visual and audio cues.
During play the notes can be replaced, which would change the melody on the spot. The Noteput also offers the possibility to hear the sounds of different instruments, including piano, guitar, flute, vibraphone and e-piano.
The designers cut the notes out of thin wood plates. It is worth mentioning that the differentiation between the duration of a note was made using lead balls. Heavier notes sound longer while the lighter ones shorter.
To be visible by the camera incorporated in the table, the notes feature a unique marker on their back. The camera identifies the marker and can define the length of the respective note as well as its position on the staves.