NASA has developed an advanced propulsion technology to facilitate future planetary exploration missions using small spacecraft. Not only will this technology enable new types of planetary science missions, one of NASA's commercial partners is already preparing to use it for another purpose—to extend the lifetimes of spacecraft that are already in orbit.

Identifying the opportunity for industry to use this new technology not only advances NASA's goal of technology commercialization, it could potentially create a path for NASA to acquire this important technology from industry for use in future planetary missions.