Space Exploration & Science Missions NASA

NASA posts record high-power plasma ion engine tests using lithium-metal vapor propellant for Mars-bound missions

NASA has completed a new round of tests on a high-power plasma engine fueled by liquid lithium, reporting record performance. A prototype ion engine using lithium metal vapor as a propellant has achieved 25x more power than the ion engine configuration used on the Psyche mission.

Discovered 2026-05-04T07:23:29.923502-07:00 | 2026-05-04T07:23:29.923502-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

The engine work targets higher-power electric propulsion for deep-space crewed Mars architectures, strengthening NASA’s technical basis for scaling from existing mission heritage, as the agency accelerates its approach to reaching Mars.
Performance milestones (including the reported 25x power jump versus Psyche’s ion engine) provide concrete propulsion-relevant data that can inform system sizing, power/thermal trades, and mission timelines discussed in broader Mars program coverage like the new space race for humans to Mars.
The lithium-fueled plasma/ion effort adds to the growing propulsion options NASA will weigh alongside alternative concepts such as laser-sail “swarm” interstellar approaches, helping frame where near-term high-power propulsion stands versus longer-horizon breakthroughs.

Reported By

scitechdaily.com Times of India ans.org aex.ru Science Daily Space.com