On Episode 170 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik are joined by are joined by Dr. Robert O'Brien, director of the Center for Space Nuclear Research for the Universities Space Research Association, to discuss powering spacecraft by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs).
Powering spacecraft, especially out in the dark, cold outer solar system, is a huge challenge. There are limits to how large solar panels can be, and they are not very efficient in the weak sunlight beyond Mars.
