The X3 Ion Thruster Is Here, This Is How It’ll Get Us to Mars

The X3 is made possible thanks to a collaboration among NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, the Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the University of Michigan. It’s a new type of propulsion engine that smashed records during test firings. This engine and other electric propulsion systems will help us reach distant planets faster than ever before. How NASA’s Rover Team Reimagined Mars 2020 Subscribe! Thruster for Mars mission breaks records An advanced space engine in the running to propel humans to Mars has broken the records for operating current, power and thrust for a device of its kind, known as a Hall thruster. Plasmadynamics & Electric Propulsion Laboratory The PEPL mission: Make electric propulsion (EP) devices more efficient and of better performance Understand spacecraf