NASA Fires Up Powerful Lithium-Fed Thruster for Trips to Mars
NASA successfully tested a high-power lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory in February 2026, marking a significant step toward developing nuclear electric propulsion for human missions to Mars. The prototype reached 120 kilowatts, far exceeding current electric thrusters, and demonstrated the feasibility of using lithium vapor as propellant. The test is part of a broader effort to create efficient, high-thrust propulsion systems capable of supporting long-duration deep space missions. Data from the test will guide future development toward megawatt-class systems.
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5 min readNASA Fires Up Powerful Lithium-Fed Thruster for Trips to MarsJet Propulsion LaboratoryApr 28, 2026 Article Contents Powering up Going electric A prototype of a lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic thruster was tested in a special chamber at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in February 2026. With further development, thrusters like this could be part of a nuclear electric propulsion system powering human missions to Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech A technology that could propel crewed missions to Mars and robotic spacecraft throughout the solar system was recently put to the test at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. On Feb.
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