How much does Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Cost?

The MMRTG cost an estimated US$109,000,000 to manufacture and US$83,000,000 to research and develop.

How much does plutonium Voyager cost?

It uses 24 pressed plutonium-238 oxide spheres and provides enough heat to generate approximately 157 watts of electrical power initially – halving every 87.7 years.

How long will Voyager RTG last?

Voyager 1 is expected to keep working until 2025 when it will finally run out of power. None of this would be possible without the spacecraft’s three batteries filled with plutonium-238. In fact, Most of what humanity knows about the outer planets came back to Earth on plutonium power.

How long does a radioisotope thermoelectric generator last?

Most RTGs use 238Pu, which decays with a half-life of 87.7 years.

How much power does MMRTG?

The MMRTG contains a total of 4.8 kg (10.6 lb.) plutonium dioxide that initially provides approximately 2,000 watts of thermal power and 120 watts of electrical power.

How does radioisotope thermoelectric generators work?

A radioisotope thermoelectric generator, or RTG, uses the fact that radioactive materials (such as plutonium) generate heat as they decay into non-radioactive materials. The heat used is converted into electricity by an array of thermocouples which then power the spacecraft.

What is a radioisotope thermoelectric generator used for?

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators, or RTGs, provide electrical power for spacecraft by converting the heat generated by the decay of plutonium-238 (Pu-238) fuel into electricity using devices called thermocouples.

Is Voyager 2 nuclear powered?

The Voyager 1 & 2 spacecraft, like Pioneer 10 & 11 and various other spacecraft before them, and New Horizons and many other spacecraft after them, are powered using nuclear fission. Specifically, they use radioisotope thermoelectric generators.