Is This Plasma Engine China’s Ticket To Beating NASA To Mars?

As the race to Mars intensifies, China is proud to unveil its new plasma engine that might put it at the forefront of this space race. The engine which was unveiled in China by researchers and engineers at the Xian Aerospace Propulsion Institute on 10 March 2025 is now creating waves on the internet.

New Plasma Engine Prepares China For Mars Exploration

This new 100kW high-thrust magnetoplasmadynamic thruster has been able to perform stable operations at its maximum power. In a social media post announcing this success, the Xian Aerospace team of researchers said that the “successful ignition this time marks that the technical level of our institute’s magnetic plasma engine has entered the forefront of the world.”

To operate this high-power engine, the team have to ionize the propellant, hence creating a plasma which then undergoes acceleration by an electromagnetic field. This field forms a high-speed particle stream, which in turn creates thrust necessary to pull the engine forward.

The materials put to use in the creation of this new plasma engine from China are 3D-printed materials. In addition to these materials, the Xian Aerospace team also use high-temperature superconducting magnet technology.

These materials are ideal for space exploration, hence making the engine fit for use in powering a space vehicle. Considering the power that this engine produces, it is ideal for powering China’s large space vehicles that are heading to Mars.

Steps Ahead Of The US In The Race For Mars Exploration

Other regions like the US are major players in the race for Mars exploration. Both the US and China are actively researching the red planet’s surface using rovers in search of signs of early life.

However, the race to Mars involves more than just rovers, as various regions are preparing to send humans to Mars. For this reason, there is a need for a capable engine to make the journey to the Red Planet within a short duration.

Russia, which is now leading the race to develop capable engines for Mars exploration, have already unveiled their plasma engine prototype. This plasma prototype engine is capable of taking a space vehicle to Mars in two months.

China is now following Russia closely as they have unveiled their plasma engine capable of making over 100kW power. The US however is still behind schedule regarding developing a new engine that can compete with the offerings from China and Russia.