4 ms·
> the "battery" in the old ones is nuclear and it's going to be difficult to beat that Newer atomic batteries can theoretically last centuries instead of decad
by voytec 2y ago
> the "battery" in the old ones is nuclear and it's going to be difficult to beat that
Newer atomic batteries can theoretically last centuries instead of decades.
V'ger 1 atomic battery is based on Plutonium-238 which has a halflife of ~88 years. It's down to ~210W output from initial 470W at launch time.
Americium-241 has a half-life of over 400 years.
- gruturo 2y agoThe longer the half life, the lower the power output, no free lunches. But by putting the same suitable radioactive lump in a stirling engine you can extract 4 times as much electricity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_radioisotope_generator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_radioisotope_generato... So yes maybe with Americium-241 we could have something which lasts 4 times a much _and_ gives us the same amount of power thanks to a SRG.
- gray_-_wolf 2y agoBut it seems to involve moving parts, so I am not sure the reliability trade-off is worth it for decades/centuries long missions.
- gruturo 2y agoYes, it's being tested (NASA ran one for ~15 years continuously, which seems promising, I don't know if the test is still running), but I don't know if any were actually launched and are used in space.
- gray_-_wolf 2y agoThat seems actually quite impressive.
- rightbyte 2y agoUsing a sterling motor would give you mechanical wear.
- moomin 2y agoFinding “V’ger” hilarious.