NASA is getting plutonium-238 for future missions from the Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE uses the Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory and the High Flux Isotope Reactor at ORNL to produce plutonium-238. NASA and the DOE are more than halfway to their goal of producing 1.5 kilograms of plutonium-238 per year. They expect to reach this goal in 2026.
Plutonium-238 is used to fuel radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) on spacecraft. RTGs have been used in 31 NASA missions since 1961. Plutonium-238 is useful because it generates heat through radioactive decay. This heat can be used to power satellites and sensitive electrical components.
NASA’s future missions include:
- Artemis: Land the first woman and person of color on the Moon
- Moon 2024: Land astronauts on the lunar South Pole
In recent years, there has been concern that NASA was running low on Plutonium-238, the key component for RTGs. Luckily, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently delivered a large shipment of plutonium oxide, putting it on track to realize its goal of regular production of the radioisotopic material
Plutonium-238 is running low because it was a byproduct of Cold War activities. The U.S. hasn’t produced any new supplies since the 1980s.
According to a 2017 congressional hearing, NASA may run out of mission-ready plutonium after 2025. However, NASA says they have enough plutonium-238 and the ability to process it for missions through at least 2030.
Plutonium-238 is used to fuel many of NASA’s deep space missions, including:
- New Horizons
- Voyager
- Curiosity rover
- Mars 2020 rover
Yes, plutonium is used in satellites. Plutonium-238 is used in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) to generate power for satellites. The heat from plutonium-238’s radioactive decay can also be used to power sensitive electrical components in satellites
Plutonium-238 has a high decay heat of 0.56 W/g. It’s also extremely dense with energy, enough to power spacecraft for decades. Plutonium-238 has a half-life of 88 years and is considered a safe and dependable heat source
Plutonium-238 is a vital power source for deep space missions. It’s used in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) to generate power for satellites and spacecraft. Plutonium-238 is extremely hot and dense with energy, enough to power spacecraft for decades at a time.
Plutonium has several industrial uses, particularly in the nuclear industry. Plutonium-239 is primarily used as a fuel to power nuclear reactors.
Most liquid chemical rockets use two separate propellants: a fuel and an oxidizer. Typical fuels include:
- Kerosene
- Alcohol
- Hydrazine and its derivatives
- Liquid hydrogen
Oxidizers include: Nitric acid, Nitrogen tetroxide, Liquid oxygen, Liquid fluorine.
The Space Shuttle Main Engine uses liquefied hydrogen as fuel. At -423 degrees Fahrenheit, the engine’s fuel is the second coldest liquid on Earth
Plutonium has a half-life, which is the time it takes for a radioactive substance to lose half of its radioactivity. The half-life of plutonium depends on the isotope:
- Plutonium-238: 87.7 years
- Plutonium-239: 24,100 years
- Plutonium-240: 6,560 years
- Plutonium-241: 14.4 years
- Plutonium-242: 373,300 years
- Plutonium-244: 80.8 million years
Substances with shorter half-lives decay more quickly and emit more energetic radioactivity.
Plutonium is a long-term source of radiation to nearby cells because of its long radioactive half-lives. It’s also a biological hazard because of the amounts retained in the body.
Plutonium-238 has other uses, including:
- Heart pacemakers: Plutonium-238 has been used to power batteries for some heart pacemakers.
- Nuclear power plants: Plutonium can be used to fuel nuclear power plants.
- Heat sources: Plutonium-238 devices are used as heat sources in satellites and cardiac pacemakers.
Plutonium-238 is a powerful alpha emitter, which makes it suitable for use in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and radioisotope heater units. (All article source google)
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