INL and Battelle Energy Alliance, its management and operating contractor, are already looking ahead to the next generation of plutonium-powered spacecraft: the Dynamic Radioisotope Power System (Dynamic RPS). INL announced on February 15 that it is partnering with NASA and the DOE to seek industry engagement to further the design of this new power system.

The goal: The Dynamic RPS will be designed for a potential lunar demonstration mission by the late 2020s, according to INL. The goal of this technology demonstration project is to develop and demonstrate the performance of a system that is three times more efficient than current systems.

The Dynamic RPS will create electricity for a space craft from heat released from the decay of plutonium-238. But unlike the radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) that have used plutonium to power previous missions, including the Mars Curiosity and Perseverance rovers, dynamic power conversion promises more efficiency, producing the same amount of power with less plutonium-238 and extending the use of radioisotope power to larger systems.

To read more please visit:

https://www.ans.org/news/article-2635/inl-seeks-efficiency-boost-for-radioisotopepowered-spacecraft/

Source: American Nuclear Society