NASA tests high-power lithium thruster that could slash Mars travel time
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center reported a successful test of a lithium-fed electromagnetic thruster that reached power levels far beyond current electric propulsion, promising much faster trips to Mars.
NASA Marshall announced that a lithium-fed electromagnetic thruster has been tested at power levels exceeding any previous U.S. electric propulsion trial, reaching 120 kilowatts. The test, conducted at JPL's Electric Propulsion Lab in Southern California, showed the thruster operating at temperatures above 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit and delivering thrust far greater than the Psyche mission's engines. When paired with a nuclear power source, the system could shrink the typical nine-month Mars transit to roughly three months, potentially enabling a two-year round-trip mission including an 18-month surface stay.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called the result a concrete advance toward sending American astronauts to Mars. Senior research scientist James Polk observed the experiment, noting that the data will guide further testing phases. The breakthrough also opens possibilities for faster robotic missions throughout the solar system.
Why it matters
Faster propulsion could make crewed Mars missions feasible within a shorter timeframe, reducing costs and risks.
In this story