Radioisotope Power Systems Program Status and Expectations

Abstract

The NASA Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program's goal is to make RPS available for the exploration of the solar system in environments where conventional solar or chemical power generation is impractical or impossible to use to meet mission needs. To meet this goal, the RPS Program manages investments in RPS system development and RPS technologies. The RPS Program exists to support NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). The RPS Program provides strategic leadership for RPS, enables the availability of RPS for use by the planetary science community, successfully executes RPS flight projects and mission deployments, maintains a robust technology development portfolio, coordinates RPS related National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Nuclear Launch Safety (NLS) approval processes for SMD, maintains insight into the Department of Energy (DOE) implementation of NASA funded RPS production infrastructure operations, including implementation of the NASA funded heat-source plutonium production restart efforts. This paper will provide a status of recent RPS activities and accomplishments.

Future Missions to the Giant Planets that Can Advance Atmospheric Science Objectives

“…Advanced radioisotope power systems and REP Radioisotope power systems (RPS) are the generally preferred energy source in the outer solar system, allowing for Flagship-class payloads to be operated at Uranus and beyond, for operations in eclipse, and for more maneuverable spacecraft than ones carrying large solar arrays. New RPS designs are being developed (Zakrajsek et al 2017) with increased efficiency (reducing the amount of Plutonium needed to power a spacecraft) and increased lifetime (critically important for long-duration outer solar system missions).…”