NASA’s 5,000°F “Plasma Spear” clears path for 2030s Mars missions
NASA’s 5,000°F “Plasma Spear” clears path for 2030s Mars missions — May 7, 2026 JPL successfully tests a 120-kilowatt lithium-fed magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster… The engine uses electromagnetic fields to accelerate plasma, reaching internal temperatures exceeding 5,000°F… This “Nuclear Electric Propulsion” (NEP) is designed to move massive payloads to Mars far more efficiently than chemical rockets… …