Firing of the Advanced Cusp Field Thruster (ACFT) in a vacuum chamber.

Propellant: iodine (yellow plasma), then xenon (blue plasma)

Thruster info: https://www.epic-ifact.eu/about/project-overview

Video source 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkvEB61LloQ

Video source 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLf7fzmvHyo

Ignition of a MPD thruster in a vacuum chamber at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Propellant: lithium

Thruster info: https://www.nasa.gov/missions/tech-demonstration/nasa-fires-up-powerful-lithium-fed-thruster-for-trips-to-mars/

Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XsqSA9tNfY

Ignition of the ATHENA-π electrospray thruster in a vacuum chamber. Note that electrospray thrusters do not usually emit any light, on this occasion the vacuum pressure was high enough that the ion jet excited the remaining air in the vacuum chamber.

Propellant: ionic-liquid

Thruster info: https://ienai.space/athena/

Video source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ienaispace_electricpropulsion-spaceindustry-spacetech-activity-6864643619022741504-VB7m?utm

Ignition of a RF electrothermal thruster in a vacuum chamber.

Propellant: neon

Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivkXr_0f9P0

Ignition of the AIS-VAT2 Vacuum Arc Thruster in a vacuum chamber.

Propellant: bismuth

Thruster info: https://appliedionsystems.com/portfolio/ais-vat2-vacuum-arc-thruster/

Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je2w_q4ljtQ