Webfeatures of plutonium-238 have made it the material of choice to help produce electrical power for more than two-dozen U.S. space missions that have been enabled by …
Plutonium-238 Production for Space Exploration
WebApr 21, 2008 · Pu-238 – electric power ~210 watts beginning of mission (BOM) – Galileo, Ulysses, Cassini and New Horizons missions (no longer available for future missions) … WebFeb 16, 2024 · Radioisotope power systems (RPS) convert heat generated by the natural decay of plutonium-238—a radioactive isotope—into electrical power. They have … aux nissan micra k12
Why we need plutonium power for space missions
Plutonium-238 ( Pu or Pu-238) is a fissile, radioactive isotope of plutonium that has a half-life of 87.7 years. Plutonium-238 is a very powerful alpha emitter; as alpha particles are easily blocked, this makes the plutonium-238 isotope suitable for usage in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and radioisotope heater units. The density o… WebA nuclear reactor that is used to produce plutonium for weapons therefore generally has a means for exposing 238 U to neutron radiation and for frequently replacing the irradiated 238 U with new 238 U. A reactor … WebElectricity is generated in space vehicles from the heat produced by the radioactive decay of plutonium-238: 238 94Pu ¡ 234 92U + 4 2He. The atomic masses of plutonium-238 … aux token