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...
