L3Harris Delivers Most Powerful Thrusters for NASA's Lunar Gateway

L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) and NASA have completed testing and delivery of three 12-kilowatt Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) thrusters for the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) of the agency’s lunar-orbiting Gateway station. These thrusters will become the most powerful electric propulsion system to fly in space.

“Electric thrusters offer significantly higher fuel efficiency over conventional chemical propulsion systems, making them ideal for Gateway and other long-duration missions,” said Kristin Houston, President, Space Propulsion and Power Systems, Aerojet Rocketdyne, L3Harris. “NASA will be able to pair the AEPS thrusters with nuclear power sources to help enable new classes of exploration missions, such as a robotic grand tour of Jupiter and its moons or transporting large cargo vessels to Mars.”

The delivered thrusters will enable the Gateway station to reach and maintain its orbit around the Moon, supporting Artemis IV astronaut missions to and from the lunar surface. 

The AEPS thrusters underwent extensive hot-fire testing at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, this year following vibration testing at L3Harris’ facility in Redmond. These tests validated the thrusters’ performance and readiness for integration into the PPE.