The experimental thruster, which uses lithium metal vapour as propellant, was fired for the first time in years on 24 February, reaching power levels higher than any previous electric propulsion test conducted in the United States. Engineers said the early results mark an important milestone in developing propulsion systems capable of supporting long-duration crewed missions to the Red Planet.
During testing, the prototype achieved outputs of up to 120 kilowatts, well beyond the capability of current electric thrusters in operation. For comparison, the propulsion system aboard NASA’s Psyche mission, currently among the most powerful of its kind, operates at a fraction of that level.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said the successful trial demonstrated tangible progress towards landing astronauts on Mars. He noted the agency would continue investing in advanced propulsion technologies to support future deep space exploration.
Isaacman said: “This marks the first time in the United States that an electric propulsion system has operated at power levels this high, reaching up to 120 kilowatts. We will continue to make strategic investments that will propel that next giant leap.”
The system under development is a lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster, a concept studied since the 1960s but yet to be deployed operationally.
Unlike conventional electric propulsion, which generates gentle but continuous thrust using solar energy, the MPD design uses powerful electrical currents and magnetic fields to accelerate superheated lithium plasma, producing significantly greater thrust while remaining highly efficient.
Testing took place inside the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s (JPL) specialised vacuum chamber, designed to safely handle metal vapour propulsion systems at extremely high power levels. Across five ignition cycles, the thruster’s central tungsten electrode reached temperatures exceeding 2,800 degrees, glowing white-hot as it generated a vivid plasma plume.
Senior research scientist James Polk described the test as a major breakthrough, confirming both the functionality of the system and its ability to reach targeted performance levels.
"Designing and building these thrusters over the last couple of years has been a long lead-up to this first test. It’s a huge moment for us because we not only showed the thruster works, but we also hit the power levels we were targeting. And we know we have a good testbed to begin addressing the challenges to scaling up,” Polk said.
Looking ahead, researchers aim to scale the technology to between 500 kilowatts and one megawatt per thruster. A human mission to Mars could require multiple units operating at a combined power of several megawatts over tens of thousands of hours.
The project is being led by JPL in partnership with Princeton University and NASA Glenn Research Center, under a broader effort to develop nuclear-electric propulsion systems capable of supporting deep space exploration.
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