The Problem of Power in Space. NASA's New Kilopower Reactor
Space is the worst. It’s got hostile radiation, a total lack of atmosphere, near absolute zero temperatures, problematic gravity wells, and worse.
In order to keep your spacecraft alive in that environment, you need electricity to keep it warm. Not to mention all the power to run scientific instruments and the transmitters to send that data home.
Getting enough power in space is a big problem.
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Team: Fraser Cain - @fcain / [email protected]
Karla Thompson - @karlaii / https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEItkORQYd4Wf0TpgYI_1fw
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References:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/solar_arrays-about.html
http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2018/05/30_efficiency_solar_cell
https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/technology/is_severe_environments.html
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/news/voyager-mission-anniversary-rtg-radioisotope-thermoelectric-generator/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4818
https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=distance+to+voyager+1+in+light+hours
https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/spacecraft/instruments/rtg/
https://mars.nasa.gov/files/mep/MMRTG_Jan2008.pdf
https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/19/17138924/nasa-discovery-program-radioisotope-thermoelectric-generators-plutonium-238
http://spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=51241
http://www.businessinsider.com/nuclear-powered-satellites-space-2016-3
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/ns_kilopower_fs_180111.pdf
http://www.nnl.co.uk/media/1921/nnl-tech-conference-15-fcs-zara-hodgson.pdf
http://fly.historicwings.com/2013/01/the-nuclear-disaster-of-kosmos-954/
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/kilopower/