New NASA Ion Thruster to Propel Spacecraft to 90,000 MPH - HD

NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) project has completed the longest duration test for a Space propulsion system (48,000 hours/5 1/2 years). This look inside the thrusters discharge chamber shows how it works.

Credit: NASA / Eric S. Mindek (Wyle Information Systems, LLC)