RF powered rockets

High power RF could be used to power future rockets to Mars - the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) is a high power, radio frequency-driven magnetoplasma rocket that promises to dramatically reduce Inter-Planetary journey times.

Read 'Recent improvements in Ionization costs and Ion cyclotron heating efficiency in the VASIMR engine'
http://www.adastrarocket.com/AIAA2006.pdf

Plasma Assisted Combustion system - Power Point slides
http://www.plasmacombustion.com/publications/
aiaa2006.pdf

NASA - VASIMR
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/support/
researching/aspl/vasimr.html