List of nuclear power systems in space

This list of nuclear power systems in space includes nuclear power systems that were flown to space, or launched in an attempt to reach space. Examples of nuclear power systems include radioisotope heater units (RHU), Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG), thermionic converters, and fission reactors. Initial total spacecraft power is provided as electrical energy (We) or thermal energy (Wt), depending on the intended application.

Nation Mission Launched Fate / location Technology Nuclear fuel Power (nominal) Ref
 USATransit-4A1961Earth orbitSNAP-3B238
Pu
2.7 We[1]
 USATransit-4B1961Earth orbitSNAP-3B238
Pu
2.7 We[1]
 USATransit 5BN-11963Earth orbitSNAP-9A238
Pu
25.2 We[1]
 USATransit 5BN-21963Earth orbitSNAP-9A238
Pu
26.8 We[1]
 USATransit 5BN-31964Failed to reach orbit, burned up in atmosphere.SNAP-9A238
Pu
25 We[2]
 USASNAPSHOT1965Earth orbit, 700 miles (1,100 km)SNAP-10Auranium-zirconium hydride500 We[1]
 USANimbus-B-11968Fuel recovered from ocean after crash, reusedSNAP-19B (2)238
Pu
56 We[1]
 USANimbus III1969Earth re-entry 1972SNAP-19B (2)238
Pu
56.4 We[1]
 USANimbus IV1970Earth orbitSNAP-19[3]
 USANimbus V1972Earth orbitSNAP-19[3]
 USANimbus VI1975Earth orbit, damagedSNAP-19[3]
 USANimbus VII1978Earth orbit, damagedSNAP-19[3]
 USAApollo 111969RHU (2)30 Wt[1]
 USAApollo 12 ALSEP1969Lunar surface (Ocean of Storms)[4]SNAP-27238
Pu
73.6 We[1]
 USAApollo 13 ALSEP1970Earth re-entry (Pacific ocean, Tonga Trench)SNAP-27238
Pu
73 We[1]
 USAApollo 14 ALSEP1971Lunar surface (Fra Mauro)SNAP-27238
Pu
72.5 We[1]
 USAApollo 15 ALSEP1971Lunar surface (Hadley–Apennine)SNAP-27238
Pu
74.7 We[1]
 USAPioneer 101972Ejected from Solar SystemSNAP-19 (4) + RHU (12)238
Pu
162.8 We + 12 Wt[1]
 USAApollo 16 ALSEP1972Lunar surface (Descartes Highlands)SNAP-27238
Pu
70.9 We[1]
 USATRAID-01-1X1972Earth orbitSNAP-19238
Pu
35.6 We[1]
 USAApollo 17 ALSEP1972Lunar surface (Taurus–Littrow)SNAP-27238
Pu
75.4 We[1]
 USAPioneer 111973Ejected from Solar SystemSNAP-19 (4) + RHU (12)238
Pu
159.6 We + 12 Wt[1]
 USAViking 11976Mars surface (Chryse Planitia)lander modified SNAP-19 (2)238
Pu
84.6 We[1]
 USAViking 21976Mars surface (Utopia Planitia)lander modified SNAP-19 (2)238
Pu
86.2 We[1]
 USALES-81976Near geostationary orbitMHW-RTG (2)238
Pu
307.4 We[1]
 USALES-91976Near geostationary orbitMHW-RTG (2)238
Pu
308.4 We[1]
 USAVoyager 11977Ejected from Solar SystemMHW-RTG (3) + RHU(9)238
Pu
477.6 We + 9 Wt[1]
 USAVoyager 21977Ejected from Solar SystemMHW-RTG (3) + RHU(9)238
Pu
470.1 We + 9 Wt[1]
 USAGalileo1989Jupiter atmospheric entryGPHS-RTG (2)576.8 We[1]
 USAUlysses1990Heliocentric orbitGPHS-RTG283 We[1]
 USACassini1997burned-up in Saturn's AtmosphereGPHS-RTG (3)238
Pu
887 We
 USANew Horizons2006Pluto and beyondGPHS-RTG (1)238
Pu
249.6 We
 USAMSL/Curiosity rover2011Mars surfaceMMRTG238
Pu
113 We
 Soviet UnionKosmos 841965Earth orbitOrion-1 RTG210
Po
[3] [5]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 901965Earth orbitOrion-1 RTG210
Po
[3] [5]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 1981967Earth orbitRTG235
U
[3]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 2091968Earth orbitRTG235
U
[3]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 3051969Burned up in atmosphereRTG235
U
[3]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 3671970Earth orbit, 579 mile altitude2 kWe235
U
[3][6]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 4021971Earth orbit2 kWe235
U
[3]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 4691971BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 5161972High orbited 1972BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionRORSAT1973Launch failure over Pacific ocean, near JapanBES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 6261973Earth orbitBES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 6511974BES-5235
U
2 kWe}[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 6541974BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 7231975BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 7241975BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 7851975failed after reaching orbitBES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 8601976BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 8611976BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 9521977BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 9541977exploded on re-entry 1978 (over Canada)BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 1176198011788/11971 Earth orbit 870–970 kmBES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 12491981BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 12661981BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 12991981BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 14021982Earth re-entry 1983 (South Atlantic)BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 13721982BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 13651982BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 14121982BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 14611983earth orbit, explodedBES-5235
U
2 kWe[3]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 15971984BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 16071984High orbited 1985BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 16701985High orbited 1985BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 16771985High orbited 1985BES-5235
U
2 kWe}[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 17361986High orbited 1986BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 17711986High orbited 1986BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 19001987earth orbit, 454 mile altitudeBES-5235
U
2 kWe[7] [6]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 18601987BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 19321988Earth orbit 800–900 kmBES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 16821985High orbited 1986BES-5235
U
2 kWe[7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 18181987destroyed in high earth orbitTopaz-I Reactor235
U
5 kWe[8]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 18671987parked in high earth orbitTopaz-I Reactor235
U
5 kWe[9]
 Soviet Union Lunokhod 2011969Destroyed at launchRHU210
Po
[10]
 Soviet UnionLunokhod 11970Lunar surfaceRHU210
Po
[10]
 Soviet UnionLunokhod 21973Lunar surfaceRHU210
Po
[10]
 Soviet UnionMars 961996Launch failure, entered Pacific oceanRHU (4)238
Pu
[10]
 ChinaChang'e 3 and Yutu2013Lunar surfaceseveral RHU's, RTG238
Pu
[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Atomic Power in Space II: A History 2015" (PDF). inl.gov. Idaho National Laboratory. September 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "Transit". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Hagen, Regina (November 8, 1998). "Nuclear Powered Space Missions - Past and Future". www.space4peace.org. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  4. ↑ David Harland – '''Apollo 12 – On the Ocean of Storms''' (2010) – Page 269 of 522 (Google books link). Springer. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
  5. 1 2 Bennett, Gary L. (August 6, 1989). "A LOOK AT THE SOVIET SPACE NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM" (PDF). International Forum on Energy Engineering. NASA Propulsion, Power and Energy Division. IECEC-89. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  6. 1 2
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 "US-A". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Mark Wade. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  8. ↑ "Old Russian Nuclear Satellite Returns". Spacedaily.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  9. ↑ Lardier, Christian; Barensky, Stefan (March 27, 2018). The Proton Launcher: History and Developments. Wiley-ISTE. ISBN 1786301768.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Karacalıoğlu, Göktuğ (January 6, 2014). "Energy Resources for Space Missions". Space Safety Magazine. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Chang'e-3 - Satellite Missions". earth.esa.int. ESA. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.