Radioisotope Power Systems Launch Safety Process

摘要

Radioisotope power systems (RPSs) and radioisotope heater unites (RHUs) have played a crucial role in the exploration of the outer planets and deep space and are critical to the continuing expansion of our knowledge of the solar system in the twenty-first century. The alpha decay of plutonium-238 (Pu-238) fuel in the form of plutonium dioxide (PuO_2) provides the thermal and electrical power for these systems. The radioactive nature of the fuel requires that safety and environmental protection be an inherent part of the power system design, spacecraft design, and mission architecture. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) owns these power systems for US space missions and is responsible for performing safety and environmental impact analyses for the launch of such systems. This paper summarizes those activities.