{"id":12288,"date":"2024-10-23T18:03:20","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T22:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/after-60-years-nuclear-power-for-spaceflight-is-still-tried-and-true\/"},"modified":"2024-10-23T18:03:20","modified_gmt":"2024-10-23T22:03:20","slug":"after-60-years-nuclear-power-for-spaceflight-is-still-tried-and-true","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/after-60-years-nuclear-power-for-spaceflight-is-still-tried-and-true\/","title":{"rendered":"After 60 Years, Nuclear Power for Spaceflight is Still Tried and True"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">After 60 Years, Nuclear Power for Spaceflight is Still Tried and True<\/h2>\n<p><!-- no image --><\/p>\n<div class=\" hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-secondary-navigation\">\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-wrapper z-top width-100 padding-0\">\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation width-full border-bottom-1px text-center hds-color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-hdsnav\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"hds-secondary-nav-mobile-button display-flex tablet:display-flex desktop:display-none width-full flex-align-center bg-carbon-90 border-color-carbon-80 color-spacesuit-white\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"hds-secondary-nav-track\"><span>Radioisotope Power Systems<\/span><svg width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewbox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-nav-track grid-container grid-container-extrawide padding-0 tablet:padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-2 \">\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-menu-items\">\n<nav>\n<ul class=\"usa-nav__primary usa-accordion flex-justify-center margin-0\">\n<li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/\" rel=\"noopener\">RPS Home<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"basic-nav-section-one\"><span>About<\/span><svg class=\"hds-desktop-submenu-toggle-icon display-none tablet:display-none desktop:display-block\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewbox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><svg class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon display-block tablet:display-block desktop:display-none\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"8\" r=\"7.5\" fill=\"#0B3D91\" stroke=\"white\"><\/circle><rect x=\"4\" y=\"7.6001\" 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target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/radioisotope-power-systems-safety-and-reliability\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Safety and Reliability<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/for-mission-planners\/\" rel=\"noopener\">For Mission Planners<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/contact\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"basic-nav-section-one\"><span>Systems<\/span><svg class=\"hds-desktop-submenu-toggle-icon display-none tablet:display-none desktop:display-block\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewbox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><svg class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon display-block tablet:display-block desktop:display-none\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"8\" r=\"7.5\" fill=\"#0B3D91\" stroke=\"white\"><\/circle><rect x=\"4\" y=\"7.6001\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect><rect class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon-line-vertical\" x=\"7.59998\" y=\"12\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" transform=\"rotate(-90 7.59998 12)\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect><\/svg><\/button>\n<ul class=\"usa-nav__submenu\" hidden>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/overview\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Overview<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/power\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Power Systems<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/thermal\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Thermal Systems<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/dynamic-power\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Dynamic Radioisotope Power<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"basic-nav-section-one\"><span>Missions<\/span><svg class=\"hds-desktop-submenu-toggle-icon display-none tablet:display-none desktop:display-block\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewbox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><svg class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon display-block tablet:display-block desktop:display-none\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"8\" r=\"7.5\" fill=\"#0B3D91\" stroke=\"white\"><\/circle><rect x=\"4\" y=\"7.6001\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect><rect class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon-line-vertical\" x=\"7.59998\" y=\"12\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" transform=\"rotate(-90 7.59998 12)\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect><\/svg><\/button>\n<ul class=\"usa-nav__submenu\" hidden>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/radioisotope-power-systems-missions\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Overview<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/radioisotope-power-systems-timeline\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Timeline<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/news\/\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/resources\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Resources<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"basic-nav-section-one\"><span>STEM<\/span><svg class=\"hds-desktop-submenu-toggle-icon display-none tablet:display-none desktop:display-block\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewbox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><svg class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon display-block tablet:display-block desktop:display-none\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"8\" r=\"7.5\" fill=\"#0B3D91\" stroke=\"white\"><\/circle><rect x=\"4\" y=\"7.6001\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect><rect class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon-line-vertical\" x=\"7.59998\" y=\"12\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" transform=\"rotate(-90 7.59998 12)\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect><\/svg><\/button>\n<ul class=\"usa-nav__submenu\" hidden>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/stem\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Overview<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/power-to-explore-stem-writing-challenge\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Power to Explore Contest<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/kid-friendly-videos\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Kid-Friendly Videos<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/radioisotope-power-systems\/radioisotope-power-systems-faq\/\" rel=\"noopener\">FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-article-hero-header nasa-gb-align-full bg-carbon-90 width-full maxw-full color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-article-hero-header\">\n<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper width-full maxw-full minh-tablet grid-container minh-tablet flex-column padding-0\">\n<div class=\"hds-foreground-wrapper display-flex flex-direction-column\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block margin-top-auto width-full maxw-desktop-lg padding-y-9 padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-3 z-400\">\n<div class=\"z-400 grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-7 z-400\">\n<div class=\"margin-0\">\n<div class=\"label color-spacesuit-white margin-bottom-2\">5 Min Read<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"heading-41 line-height-md color-spacesuit-white-important\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAfter 60 Years, Nuclear Power for Spaceflight is Still Tried and True\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-left mobile-skrim-top z-200\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?w=1536\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"Engineers in cleanroom suits insert a cylindrical device into a spacecraft.\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg 2280w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=1200,800 1200w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55_7513_97pc1536.jpg?resize=2000,1333 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" loading=\"eager\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"padding-y-3 padding-x-3\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block padding-x-0\"><figcaption class=\"hds-caption maxw-mobile desktop:padding-x-3\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0 color-carbon-30\">\n<div><figcaption>Workers install one of three Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) on the Cassini spacecraft. <a href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/resources\/7513\" rel=\"noopener\">More \u203a<\/a><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits color-spacesuit-white-important\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Credits: <\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>NASA<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em><strong>Editor\u2019s Note:<\/strong> Originally published on June 21, 2021.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Six decades after the launch of the first nuclear-powered space mission, Transit IV-A, NASA is embarking on a bold future of human exploration and scientific discovery. This future builds on a proud history of safely launching and operating nuclear-powered missions in space.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNuclear power has opened the solar system to exploration, allowing us to observe and understand dark, distant planetary bodies that would otherwise be unreachable. And we\u2019re just getting started,\u201d said Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA\u2019s Science Mission Directorate. \u201cFuture nuclear power and propulsion systems will help revolutionize our understanding of the solar system and beyond and play a crucial role in enabling long-term human missions to the Moon and Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"width-full maxw-full margin-left-auto margin-right-auto hds-media-align-inline hds-module wp-block-nasa-blocks-video\">\n<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper width-full maxw-full flex-column\">\n<div class=\"hds-video-container width-full embed-container\"><video title=\"Radioisotope Power Systems Trailer\" class=\"video-js video-player vjs-fluid width-full\" data-setup='{\"controls\":true,\"preload\":\"auto\",\"plugins\":{\"mux\":{\"debug\":false,\"data\":{\"env_key\":\"91nns8oppqdfqc44lgo4b1gni\",\"player_name\":\"www.nasa.gov Player\",\"video_name\":\"Radioisotope Power Systems Trailer\"}}}}' poster=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/screenshot-159.png?w=1024\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/wo684509-rps-final-nuclear-science-week-trailer.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"><p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/source><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-media-caption hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">\n<div>Space nuclear power to explore the deepest, dustiest, darkest, and most distant regions of our solar system and beyond.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">\n<div>NASA<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From Humble Beginnings: Nuclear Power Spawns an Age of Scientific Discovery<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>On June 29, 1961, the John\u2019s Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory launched the Transit IV-A Spacecraft. It was a U.S. Navy navigational satellite with a SNAP-3B radioisotope powered generator producing 2.7 watts of electrical power \u2014 about enough to light an LED bulb. Transit IV-A broke an APL mission-duration record and confirmed the Earth\u2019s equator is elliptical. It also set the stage for ground-breaking missions that have extended humanity\u2019s reach across the solar system.<\/p>\n<p>Since 1961, NASA has flown more than 25 missions carrying a nuclear power system through a successful partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE), which provides the power systems and plutonium-238 fuel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe department and our national laboratory partners are honored to play a role in powering NASA\u2019s space exploration activities,\u201d said Tracey Bishop, deputy assistant secretary in DOE\u2019s Office of Nuclear Energy. \u201cRadioisotope Power Systems are a natural extension of our core mission to create technological solutions that meet the complex energy needs of space research, exploration, and innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There are only two practical ways to provide long-term electrical power in space: the light of the sun or heat from a nuclear source.<\/p>\n<div class=\"nasa-gb-align-center padding-y-3 maxw-full width-full display-flex flex-align-center hds-module wp-block-nasa-blocks-blockquote\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block display-flex flex-column flex-justify-center padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:display-flex mobile:display-block\">\n<div class=\"blockquote-icon margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"tablet:square-4 square-4 margin-right-3\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewbox=\"0 0 3000 3000\" xml:space=\"preserve\"> <g> <path d=\"M586.7,1429.7c-10.7,1.5-21.4,2.8-33.9,4.5c6.9-26.6,12.7-50.7,19.5-74.6c32.4-114.1,78.5-222.2,146.8-319.5 c90.2-128.5,202.5-235.3,327.7-329.1c8.4-6.3,16.7-12.6,25.3-19.1c-66.3-105.1-131.5-208.6-197.3-313.1c-3.5,1.2-5.5,1.6-7.2,2.6 C714.4,469,576.1,575.7,456,705.3c-126,135.9-226.2,289.1-303,457.8c-98.8,217.1-151.3,444-147.2,683.3 c1.7,100.5,12.9,199.6,41.1,296.3C93.7,2303,182.2,2433,326.7,2520.1c176.9,106.7,366.8,126.8,563.4,70.5 c150.9-43.2,260.9-138.9,327.2-282.5c33.4-72.5,47.8-149.4,52-228.7c6.5-122.8-14.1-239.5-74.3-348.1 C1074.6,1514.5,832.7,1394.2,586.7,1429.7z\"><\/path><path d=\"M2912.5,1722c-129.9-210.9-320.2-309.4-567.9-296c-22.1,1.2-44,5.1-67.4,7.9c2.2-9.6,4-17.9,6.1-26.2 c37.9-153.6,99.3-296,198.8-420.5c77.8-97.4,167.1-182.9,265.8-258.8c15.6-12,31.3-23.9,47.9-36.5 c-66.2-105.1-131.9-209.2-197.2-312.8c-3.5,1.1-5.1,1.2-6.4,2c-167.2,95.6-316.1,213.7-443.2,358.8 c-105.1,119.9-191.1,252.3-259.5,396.3c-95.5,201-152.1,411.6-159.1,634.8c-3.9,125.5,4.8,249.7,40.1,371 c46.7,160.8,135.7,290.9,280.5,378.7c165.7,100.5,344.8,123,531.2,78.8c172.4-40.8,296.4-143.9,366.3-308.5 c28.5-67.2,40.6-138,44.6-210.5C3000.2,1953.3,2979.9,1831.4,2912.5,1722z\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"blockquote-content\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\">\n<h2 class=\"font-weight-extralight line-height-sm margin-top-0 section-heading-sm\"><span class=\"section-heading-sm\">We couldn\u2019t do the mission without it. No other technology exists to power a mission this far away from the Sun, even today.<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"display-flex\">\n<div class=\"blockquote-image hds-cover-wrapper margin-right-3\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/174142main-alan-stern-jpg.webp?w=150&#038;h=150&#038;crop=1\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Alan Stern\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/174142main-alan-stern-jpg.webp?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/174142main-alan-stern-jpg.webp?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/174142main-alan-stern-jpg.webp?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/174142main-alan-stern-jpg.webp?resize=200,200 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-11\">\n<p class=\"blockquote-credit-name line-height-sm margin-0\">Alan Stern<\/p>\n<p class=\"blockquote-credit-title line-height-sm padding-0 margin-0\">Principal Investigator, NASA\u2019s New Horizons Mission to Pluto and Beyond<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cAs missions move farther away from the Sun to dark, dusty, and harsh environments, like Jupiter, Pluto, and Titan, they become impossible or extremely limited without nuclear power,\u201d said Leonard Dudzinski, chief technologist for NASA\u2019s Planetary Science Division and program executive for Radioisotope Power.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s where\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240111025443\/https:\/\/rps.nasa.gov\/about-rps\/overview\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Radioisotope Power System<\/a>s, or RPS, come in. They are a category of power systems that convert heat generated by the decay of plutonium-238 fuel into electricity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese systems are reliable and efficient,\u201d said June Zakrajsek, manager for NASA\u2019s Radioisotope Power Systems Program office at Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. \u201cThey operate continuously over long-duration space missions regardless of sunlight, temperature, charged particle radiation, or surface conditions like thick clouds or dust. They\u2019ve allowed us to explore from the Sun to Pluto and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>RPS powered the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240111025443\/https:\/\/rps.nasa.gov\/missions\/1\/apollo-surface-experiments\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package<\/a>. They\u2019ve sustained Voyager 1 and 2 since 1977, and they kept\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240111025443\/https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/missions\/cassini\/radioisotope-thermoelectric-generator\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Cassini-Huygens\u2019<\/a>\u00a0instruments warm as it explored frigid Saturn and its moon Titan.<\/p>\n<p>Today, a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240111025443\/https:\/\/rps.nasa.gov\/power-and-thermal-systems\/power-systems\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Multi-Mission Thermoelectric Generator<\/a>\u00a0(MMRTG) powers the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240111025443\/https:\/\/mars.nasa.gov\/mars2020\/spacecraft\/rover\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Perseverance<\/a>\u00a0rover, which is captivating the nation as it searches for signs of ancient life on Mars, and a single RTG is sustaining\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240111025443\/https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/newhorizons\/main\/index.html\">New Horizons<\/a>\u00a0as it ventures on its way out of the solar system 15 years after its launch.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe RTG was and still is crucial to New Horizons,\u201d said Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t do the mission without it. No other technology exists to power a mission this far away from the Sun, even today.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg?w=1280\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Two men work on a grand piano-sized spacecraft wrapped in a gold insulating blanket. A large cylinder, a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, sticks out of the side.\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg?resize=900,506 900w, https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nh-1280.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\"><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">New Horizons carries seven scientific instruments and a radioisotope thermoelectric generator. The spacecraft weighs 1,060 pounds.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA\/JHUAPL<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Great Things to Come: Science and Human Exploration<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Dragonfly, which is set to launch in 2028, is the next mission with plans to use an MMRTG. Part of NASA\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240111025443\/https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarymissions\/newfrontiers.html\">New Frontiers<\/a>\u00a0program, Dragonfly is an octocopter designed to explore and collect samples on Saturn\u2019s largest moon, Titan, an ocean world with a dense, hazy atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRPS is really an enabling technology,\u201d said APL\u2019s Zibi Turtle, principal investigator for the upcoming\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240111025443\/https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/subject\/17128\/dragonfly\/\">Dragonfly<\/a>\u00a0mission. \u201cEarly missions like Voyager, Galileo, and Cassini that relied on RPS have completely changed our understanding and given us a geography of the distant solar system\u2026Cassini gave us our first close-up look at the surface of Titan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Turtle, the MMRTG serves two purposes on Dragonfly: power output to charge the lander\u2019s battery and waste heat to keep its instruments and electronics warm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFlight is a very high-power activity. We\u2019ll use a battery for flight and science activities and recharge the battery using the MMRTG,\u201d said Turtle. \u201cThe waste heat from the power system is a key aspect of our thermal design. The surface of Titan is very cold, but we can keep the interior of the lander warm and cozy using the heat from the MMRTG.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the scientific community continues to benefit from RPS, NASA\u2019s Space Technology Mission Directorate is investing in new technology using reactors and low-enriched uranium fuel to enable a robust human presence on the Moon and eventually human missions to Mars.<\/p>\n<p>Astronauts will need plentiful and continuous power to survive the long lunar nights and explore the dark craters on the Moon\u2019s South Pole. A\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240111025443\/https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/tdm\/fission-surface-power\/index.html\">fission surface power<\/a>\u00a0system could provide enough juice to power robust operations. NASA is leading an effort, working with the DOE and industry to design a fission power system for a future lunar demonstration that will pave the way for base camps on the Moon and Mars.<\/p>\n<p>NASA has also thought about viable ways to reduce the time it takes to travel to Mars, including nuclear propulsion systems.<\/p>\n<p>As NASA advances its bold vision of exploration and scientific discovery in space, it benefits from 60 years of the safe use of nuclear power during spaceflight. Sixty years of enlightenment that all started with a little satellite called Transit IV-A.<\/p>\n<p><strong>News Media Contact<\/strong><br \/>Jan Wittry<br \/>NASA\u2019s Glenn Research Center<\/p>\n<p class=\"wpematico_credit\"><small>Powered by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wpematico.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/technology\/rps\/after-60-years-nuclear-power-for-spaceflight-is-still-tried-and-true\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Get The Details&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Six decades after the launch of the first nuclear-powered space mission, NASA is embarking on a bold future of human exploration and scientific discovery. <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/after-60-years-nuclear-power-for-spaceflight-is-still-tried-and-true\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div 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