NASA is making a powerful new ion engine to send astronauts to Mars — and it just passed its 1st test | Space

Flight readiness is still a ways off. But the theoretical ion engine that could propel humans into deep space just took a nice leap forward. 

NASA successfully tested an ion engine (one that feeds off an electromagnetic reaction rather than a chemical one) that can produce 120 kw. This should be sufficient to propel a craft to mars. 

I look forward to seeing how this goes. 

https://www.space.com/astronomy/mars/nasa-is-making-a-powerful-new-ion-engine-to-send-astronauts-to-mars-and-it-just-passed-its-1st-test