NASA plans test of advanced nuclear power generator

[Ichingcarpenter]

Two of the robotic missions NASA selected for further study last week would be powered by experimental nuclear generators, a new technology under development to boost the efficiency of electricity production in deep space.


NASA picked robotic missions to Mars, a comet and Saturn's moon Titan as finalists last week for a launch opportunity in 2016, and two of the probes would employ a cutting edge nuclear power source never tested in space.


The nuclear power units, called ASRGs, use less plutonium than existing generators. NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy face a shortage of plutonium-238 nuclear fuel for robotic spacecraft, causing officials to turn to more efficient power generators.

The Department of Energy is managing the ASRG's development, and NASA's Glenn Research Center in Ohio has conducted more than 14,000 hours of trouble-free endurance testing of a ground model, according to Lockheed Martin Corp., the prime contractor with the Energy Department for development, fabrication and testing of the ASRG.

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http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1105/09asrg/