The first human Mars explorers won’t have it easy. Every additional day in deep space will increase their exposure to deadly ...

A prototype ion engine that uses lithium vapor as a propellant has aced its first tests, achieving 25 times more power than ...

NASA's lithium-fed MPD thruster achieved 120 kilowatts in a recent test, marking a significant step toward faster crewed Mars ...

Record power levels: NASA’s experimental MPD thruster achieved 120 kW in tests, the highest electric propulsion power level ever reached in the U.S. Mars mission potential: The lithium-fed engine ...

GOCE’s sophisticated electric ion propulsion system has been switched on and confirmed to be operating normally, marking another crucial milestone in the satellite’s post-launch commissioning phase.

NASA has successfully tested a magnetoplasmadynamic thruster with lithium propellant. The technology is considered key for ...

CLEVELAND — A small robotic surveyor arrives to explore a near-Earth asteroid. Another robotic spacecraft is returning to Earth with a pristine comet surface sample. Meanwhile, a robotic explorer is ...

According to the US Department of Energy, nuclear thermal propulsion can reduce travel times to Mars by up to 25% and, more ...

Click to open image viewer. This is a cesium ion engine developed by the Electro-Optical Systems, Inc. as an experimental high-energy thruster for spacecraft. Ion engines produce extremely low thrusts ...

A rendezvous with the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche is scheduled for 2029. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. NASA's mission to the ...

Space is unforgiving about inefficiency. Every kilogram launched costs somewhere between $2,000 and $10,000 depending on the vehicle – and that’s on a good day with a favorable contract. In that ...