NASA Sets Record with Ion Thrusters Test

NASA has completed a 43,000 hour stress test -- a record for ion thrusters -- on a new rocket propulsion system that could extend future space travel to farther reaches of the solar system.

Developed by NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster Project, the 7-kilowatt ion thruster can burn 10-12 times longer than the conventional chemical thrusters used today. Though not practical for manned-spaceflight, the system could power exploratory rockets that reach outer planets and their moons.

To find out more, watch the video above and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Photo courtesy of NASA

BONUS: 15 Twitter Accounts Every Space Lover Should Follow

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3. Camilla Corona

   Corona's entire career is educating the public -- especially kids -- about space. Her official title at NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory is "Mission Mascot." But one of her main priorities is to get young girls to pursue careers in science. Oh, and she also trains to fly to space. No big deal.

   

4. Curiosity Rover

   The Curiosity rover is currently trekking around Mars on a historic two-year mission. The 'bot tweets almost every day to update the public with what she (yes, Curiosity is female) sees on the Red Planet. But she gets the most points for her winning personality.

   

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6. Chris Hadfield

   CSA Commander Chris Hadfield was the first Canadian astronaut to walk in space. Currently training for his next expedition, he tweets both space news and personal updates.

   

7. Clara Ma

   Fifteen-year-old Clara Ma named the Mars Curiosity rover. Her science-filled feed proves that this teenager has a big future ahead of her. (And we'll gladly admit that she makes us feel like under-achievers.)

   

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10. Mike Foreman

    Captain Mike Foreman is a NASA astronaut and part of the STS-123 mission that delivered the Japanese Experiment Module to the ISS.

    

11. Reid Wiseman

    NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman will take a trip to the ISS in 2014. He regularly tweets both space news and training updates.

    

12. Rick Mastracchio

    Rick Mastracchio is another NASA astronaut who is training for his next mission. He will journey to the ISS in November 2013 as part of the Soyuz launch.

    

13. Scott Maxwell

    Scott Maxwell is one of the coolest handles on Twitter: @marsroverdriver. The engineer is the lead Mars rover planner, driving the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit and Opportunity at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

    

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15. Sarcastic Rover

    We are rounding out our list with the best Mars Rover parody account we've seen. In fact, it's so good that a lot of the other people who made this list follow (and re-tweet) this hilarious take on the Curiosity Rover.