NASA tests lithium-metal electric thruster, hits 120 kW power in breakthrough propulsion demo

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory demonstrated a lithium-metal vapor electric thruster and set a 120 kW power record, marking a major step toward high‑power, fuel‑efficient propulsion for future crewed Mars missions. While the tech promises substantial propellant savings, a real Mars mission would require multi‑megawatt power and thousands of hours of operation to enable transit, landing, and return; scaling the system remains the key challenge.