Powering spacecraft with solar energy may not seem like a challenge, given how intense the sun's light can feel on Earth.

Beginning in the late 1950s, the U.S. met this challenge by developing nuclear batteries known as radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and producing plutonium-238 (Pu-238) as their fuel, ...

In an effort to conserve Voyager 2's dwindling energy and extend the spacecraft's mission, NASA has shut down another of its ...

However, NASA isn’t ready to say goodbye just yet, and is taking measures to get as much life out of the pair as possible. On ...

Scientists have been building nuclear weapons for more than 80 years, but crafting this technology remains a challenge.

The Neutronics model proposed can be used for neutron spectrum optimization, which can effectively improve the production efficiency of Pu-238, improving the yield of 238 Pu up to 18.81%.

A pair of extraordinary space missions that have been headed out of the solar system for almost half a century are getting a ...

For nearly five decades, the twin Voyager spacecraft have pushed the boundaries of human exploration, venturing deeper into ...

The proposed solution to this problem is to instead use fast-neutron reactors, which “breed” non-fissile uranium-238 into plutonium-239 and plutonium-240, which can then be used as fresh fuel.

The 50th birthday is a must, but the Voyager probes should ideally continue to work into the 2030s. To achieve this, however, ...

Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, face declining power levels due to the decay of their plutonium-238 power supplies and degradation of thermocouples. Controllers have managed power by shutting ...