Radioisotope generators − inside the ‘nuclear batteries’ that power faraway spacecraft
- Written by Benjamin Roulston, Assistant Professor of Physics, Clarkson University
Voyager 1, shown in this illustration, has operated for decades thanks to a radioisotope power system. NASA via APPowering spacecraft with solar energy may not seem like a challenge, given how intense the Sun’s light can feel on Earth. Spacecraft near the Earth use large solar panels to harness the Sun for the electricity needed to run their...
Read more: Radioisotope generators − inside the ‘nuclear batteries’ that power faraway spacecraft