4 ms·

It makes sense. Voyager I was powered with nuclear energy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_1#Power https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_1#Power

DuskStar 6y ago
Along with just about every other deep-space probe, and the recent Mars rovers. RTGs just give so much more power per pound in the outer solar system. True reactors - not just RTGs - are a bit less common, but have a long history of use in the USSR's radar reconnaissance satellites. (The US only ever launched one, SNAP-10A [0]. The USSR launched more than 30) 0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNAP-10A https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNAP-10A
tectonic 6y ago
Correct, along with a bunch of other deep space craft. See my comment down thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23954547 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23954547
IAmEveryone 6y ago
It makes no sense. Curiosity was powered with solar cells. The totality of Voyager’s scientific output is... low. Like most space exploration. A nuclear accident that distributes enriched plutonium as fine particles throughout the atmosphere would cause thousands of lives if the generally accepted theory of the harms of radiation (linear with exposure) are correct.
- bhhaskin 6y ago
  Curiosity is powered by an RTG and has no solar cells. Spirit and Opportunity where solar powered, but where expected to only operate 90 days due to dust build up on the solar cells. Solar pretty much doesn't make any sense on the moon or Mars due to the environments.
  - azernik 6y ago
    A caveat - solar works on the Moon in certain circumstances (polar locations with sunlight most of the time), and on Mars with a bit of maintenance (Spirit and Opportunity lasted much longer than expected because of wind cleaning dust off the panels). But yes, to your general point, nuclear power has serious advantages.
- awalton 6y ago
  Curiosity and Perseverance both have radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), virtually identical in design: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/electrical-power/ https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/electrical-p... The problem is for human inhabitants, the size of an RTG needed to provide power would be enormous and extremely dangerous to put into orbit. A more traditional fission generator could be much safer to put into orbit with the right design constraints, and deliver about a hundred times more power. One such design would be to fuel the reactor on-orbit, and to launch the fuel in a vehicle with an escape system and isolation cask to ensure the fuel's safety during launch even in the event of failure... even though I honestly don't believe NASA will choose this option because of the weight/multiple launch problem, and the fact that they really want a reactor that's autonomous with respect to fueling and almost all aspects of serviceability. They're already playing around with designs on their own, even before they started soliciting commercial manufacturers and design partners to get in on it, with Kilopower and their 1KW KRUSTY prototype.
- simonh 6y ago
  I’m kind of amazed anyone would say that. The Voyager probes revolutionised our understanding of the outer solar system, and provided vital information necessary for the planning of later missions.
heimatau 6y ago
Not only that most US Military ships are powered by it.
- bhhaskin 6y ago
  Only super carriers and subs are nuclear powered. Everything else is conventional.
bullen 6y ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H62hZJVqs2o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H62hZJVqs2o 5:35 he talks about the plutonium generator.

DuskStar 6y ago

Along with just about every other deep-space probe, and the recent Mars rovers. RTGs just give so much more power per pound in the outer solar system. True reactors - not just RTGs - are a bit less common, but have a long history of use in the USSR's radar reconnaissance satellites. (The US only ever launched one, SNAP-10A [0]. The USSR launched more than 30) 0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNAP-10A https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNAP-10A

tectonic 6y ago

Correct, along with a bunch of other deep space craft. See my comment down thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23954547 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23954547

IAmEveryone 6y ago

It makes no sense. Curiosity was powered with solar cells. The totality of Voyager’s scientific output is... low. Like most space exploration. A nuclear accident that distributes enriched plutonium as fine particles throughout the atmosphere would cause thousands of lives if the generally accepted theory of the harms of radiation (linear with exposure) are correct.

bhhaskin 6y ago
Curiosity is powered by an RTG and has no solar cells. Spirit and Opportunity where solar powered, but where expected to only operate 90 days due to dust build up on the solar cells. Solar pretty much doesn't make any sense on the moon or Mars due to the environments.
- azernik 6y ago
  A caveat - solar works on the Moon in certain circumstances (polar locations with sunlight most of the time), and on Mars with a bit of maintenance (Spirit and Opportunity lasted much longer than expected because of wind cleaning dust off the panels). But yes, to your general point, nuclear power has serious advantages.
awalton 6y ago
Curiosity and Perseverance both have radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), virtually identical in design: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/electrical-power/ https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/electrical-p... The problem is for human inhabitants, the size of an RTG needed to provide power would be enormous and extremely dangerous to put into orbit. A more traditional fission generator could be much safer to put into orbit with the right design constraints, and deliver about a hundred times more power. One such design would be to fuel the reactor on-orbit, and to launch the fuel in a vehicle with an escape system and isolation cask to ensure the fuel's safety during launch even in the event of failure... even though I honestly don't believe NASA will choose this option because of the weight/multiple launch problem, and the fact that they really want a reactor that's autonomous with respect to fueling and almost all aspects of serviceability. They're already playing around with designs on their own, even before they started soliciting commercial manufacturers and design partners to get in on it, with Kilopower and their 1KW KRUSTY prototype.
simonh 6y ago
I’m kind of amazed anyone would say that. The Voyager probes revolutionised our understanding of the outer solar system, and provided vital information necessary for the planning of later missions.

heimatau 6y ago

Not only that most US Military ships are powered by it.

bhhaskin 6y ago
Only super carriers and subs are nuclear powered. Everything else is conventional.

bullen 6y ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H62hZJVqs2o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H62hZJVqs2o 5:35 he talks about the plutonium generator.