A prototype ion engine that uses lithium metal vapor as a propellant has aced its first tests, achieving 25 times more power than the ion engine on the Psyche mission.
"This marks the first time in the United States that an electric propulsion system has operated at power levels this high, reaching up to 120 kilowatts.
" A new ion engine has been tested in a lab, proving itself to be 25 times more powerful than NASA's current state-of-the-art one.
