] A new means of propelling spacecraft being developed at ] the University of Washington could dramatically cut the ] time needed for astronauts to travel to and from Mars and ] could make humans a permanent fixture in space. ] ] ] In fact, with magnetized-beam plasma propulsion, or ] mag-beam, quick trips to distant parts of the solar ] system could become routine, said Robert Winglee, a UW ] Earth and space sciences professor who is leading the ] project. [ Interesting concept... -k] uwnews.org - News and Information from the University of Washington |