NASA Achieves Record 120 kW in Lithium-Fed Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster Test for Future Mars Missions

Sat, 02 May 2026 11:19:00 +0200

NASA engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have successfully tested a next-generation lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster, reaching a new U.S. record of 120 kilowatts of power. This achievement is approximately 25 times the power output of the electric thrusters currently operating on NASA's Psyche spacecraft. The test, conducted in a specialized vacuum chamber, demonstrated the thruster's ability to handle extreme temperatures exceeding 2,800 degrees Celsius, a critical requirement for long-duration space missions. MPD thrusters use lithium metal vapor as propellant, accelerated by high currents and magnetic fields to generate thrust more efficiently than traditional chemical rockets for deep space travel. For a crewed mission to Mars, NASA estimates the need for 2 to 4 megawatts of power from multiple thrusters operating continuously for over 23,000 hours, equivalent to about 2.6 years. This duration aligns with the challenges of a full human round-trip mission, incl