NASA Demonstrates Record-Setting Lithium Plasma Thruster for Future Mars Missions
TL;DR
NASA's JPL has demonstrated a record-high 120 kW lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic plasma thruster, the most powerful electric propulsion test in the U.S., signaling progress toward megawatt-class systems for crewed Mars missions. Electric propulsion offers substantial propellant savings and continuous thrust; researchers aim to scale to hundreds of kilowatts to megawatts and, potentially with nuclear power, enable multi-thruster propulsion for long-duration deep-space flights.
Topics:sciencetechnology#electric-propulsion#lithium-fed-mpd#mars-mission#nasa#plasma-thruster#technology
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