Component

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG)

A nuclear power source that converts the heat of decaying plutonium-238 directly into electricity. RTGs let missions operate far from the Sun or through the lunar night — powering Voyager, Cassini, and the nuclear Mars rovers Curiosity and Perseverance (the earlier rovers were solar-powered).

Part of Electrical Power

Highlights

›Powers deep-space missions where sunlight is too weak

Knowledge connections

Part ofElectrical Power

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.

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