Story perspectives

NASA Fires 120-kW Lithium MPD Thruster, Mars-Bound Leap

4/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

NASA engineers fired a lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster on February 24, 2026, achieving 120 kilowatts of power.
NASA reported that the prototype completed five ignitions, heating its central tungsten electrode above 5,000 °F (2,800 °C), and that the 120-kilowatt level exceeds NASA electric thrusters over 25 times.
Administrator Jared Isaacman said the test shows progress toward sending an American astronaut to Mars and team aims for 500 kilowatts, 1 megawatt, while testing durability for thousands of hours.

1 of 1

Story summary

NASA engineers fired a lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster on February 24, 2026, achieving 120 kilowatts of power.
NASA reported that the prototype completed five ignitions, heating its central tungsten electrode above 5,000 °F (2,800 °C), and that the 120-kilowatt level exceeds NASA electric thrusters over 25 times.
Administrator Jared Isaacman said the test shows progress toward sending an American astronaut to Mars and team aims for 500 kilowatts, 1 megawatt, while testing durability for thousands of hours.