NASA Tests High-Power Lithium Thruster for Future Mars Missions
Similar Articles
NASA Tests Supersonic Rotors for Next-Generation Mars Helicopters
NASA Completes Key Testing Phase for Moon Mission Power System
NASA Develops High-Power Chip for Smarter, More Autonomous Spacecraft
NASA's New Spaceflight Processor Shows 500x Performance Gains in Early Tests
NASA Tests New 'Dry' Cryogenic Rig to Simulate Harsh Lunar Nights
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has successfully tested a prototype lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic thruster, reaching power levels 25 times greater than current spacecraft thrusters. This technology, which uses far less propellant than chemical rockets, is a key step toward developing the megawatt-class electric propulsion systems needed for human missions to Mars.
Facts First
- A lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster prototype was tested at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in February 2026.
- The thruster reached power levels of up to 120 kilowatts, over 25 times the power of thrusters on NASA's Psyche mission.
- Electric propulsion uses up to 90% less propellant than traditional high-thrust chemical rockets.
- The project aims to reach power levels between 500 kilowatts and 1 megawatt per thruster in the coming years.
- The development is funded by NASA's Space Nuclear Propulsion project, which supports a megawatt-class program for human Mars missions.
What Happened
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) tested a prototype lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster in February 2026. The test took place in JPL's Electric Propulsion Lab within the CoMeT vacuum facility. On February 24, the electromagnetic thruster reached power levels of up to 120 kilowatts. During five ignitions, the tungsten electrode at the center of the thruster reached temperatures exceeding 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,800 degrees Celsius).
Why this Matters to You
This development represents a significant step toward enabling faster and more efficient human exploration of deep space. The thruster's high efficiency means future missions could carry less propellant, potentially lowering costs and increasing the payload capacity. This technology could be a cornerstone for crewed missions to Mars, which may require you to witness humanity's next major step into the cosmos.
What's Next
The team, led by JPL in collaboration with Princeton University and NASA's Glenn Research Center, aims to reach power levels between 500 kilowatts and 1 megawatt per thruster in the coming years. A human mission to Mars may require 2 to 4 megawatts of power, necessitating multiple MPD thrusters operating for more than 23,000 hours. The project's continued development under NASA's Space Nuclear Propulsion program appears to be a focused path toward achieving those goals.