Gateway's AEPS Thruster Arrives for Integration with Power and Propulsion Element (jsc2025e073413)

After completing acceptance testing at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, the first of three Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) flight thrusters was delivered in early August to Maxar Space Systems’ facility in Palo Alto, California. There, it will be integrated with Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element. Built by L3Harris Technologies, the AEPS thrusters ionize xenon gas into plasma to produce continuous, low-thrust acceleration over extended periods. This highly efficient technology minimizes the need for large amounts of onboard propellant, enabling more sustainable and cost-effective operations in deep space. As the core of Gateway’s solar electric propulsion system, these thrusters will make it the most powerful solar electric spacecraft ever flown. Date: August 8, 2025 Location: Palo Alto, California Photo Credit: Maxar Space Systems

Technicians at Lanteris Space Systems in Palo Alto, California, remove the first of three Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) flight thrusters from its transport container following delivery from NASA’s Glenn Research Center. The thruster previously completed acceptance testing at Glenn and will be prepared for integration with Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element (PPE). Credit: Lanteris Space Systems

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