NASA's New Ion Thruster Passes 120-Kilowatt Test, Advancing Crewed Mars Missions
Summary: A magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster jointly developed by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has successfully completed its first tests, using lithium metal vapor as propellant and reaching power levels of up to 120 kilowatts. This marks the first time in the United States that an electric propulsion system has operated at such high power levels, a significant milestone for crewed deep-space missions to Mars.