Radioisotope generators—inside the 'nuclear batteries' that power faraway spacecraft
Powering spacecraft with solar energy may not seem like a challenge, given how intense the sun's light can feel on Earth.
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Radioisotope generators − inside the ‘nuclear batteries’ that power faraway spacecraft
The solution is technology developed in the 1960s based on scientific principles discovered two centuries ago: radioisotope thermoelectric generators, or RTGs. RTGs are essentially nuclear-powered ...
The 1960s Tech Keeping NASA’s Voyager Probes Alive for Nearly 50 Years
Solar panels are next to useless in the outer solar system, so NASA’s Voyager probes rely on nuclear batteries—technology ...