NASA Fires Up Powerful Lithium-Fed Thruster for Trips to Mars
NASA has successfully tested a lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic thruster at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory, marking a significant advancement in electric propulsion technology. This prototype achieved unprecedented power levels, exceeding those of current spacecraft thrusters, and is aimed at supporting future crewed missions to Mars. The test results will inform further development and testing of this promising propulsion system.
- ▪The lithium-fed thruster was tested at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in February 2026.
- ▪The prototype achieved power levels of up to 120 kilowatts, significantly higher than existing electric thrusters.
- ▪This technology could play a crucial role in future human missions to Mars.
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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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