NASA Offers $500,000 to Build the Next Generation of Space Thrusters

NASA is turning to private industry to build the propulsion systems that could power future space exploration. The agency launched the Advanced Mid-Power Electric Rocket Challenge, known as AMPERE, to secure new Hall effect thruster prototypes. These devices turn electricity and inert gas into the force needed to move a spacecraft.

Government and industry stakeholders have identified thrusters operating between 3 to 7 kilowatts as critical capabilities for defense, exploration, and satellite missions. To accelerate this technology, the challenge offers a total prize pool of 500,000 dollars split across up to two winning teams. Each winner can receive up to 250,000 dollars in cash along with access to NASA testing facilities and technology across three phases.

Our read suggests that by outsourcing hardware development to commercial firms, NASA is effectively crowdsourcing the heavy lifting for deep-space infrastructure. The challenge is open exclusively to companies incorporated and maintaining a primary place of business in the United States. Registration closes on January 27, 2027, leaving a tight window for commercial teams to step up and prove their hardware in agency test stands.